Wednesday 18th April 2018

BMW M2 Competition - official!

M3 engine, more than 400hp and less than £50k - this Competition M2 is sounding alright...

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It probably won't surprise you to learn there's been a fair amount of excitement at PH around the M2 Competition, from both the members and the staff. After all, the standard car was one of our favourites from the year it was launched, it was our most read road test and arguably its weakest facet - a slightly humdrum engine for an M car - has now seemingly been addressed.

Because, yes, the rumours were right: it has the S55 M3/M4 engine in it. While detuned, in the M2 the 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six still produces 410hp from 5,250-7,000rpm, a worthwhile 40hp gain over the standard car. Even despite a weight increase of 55kg (thanks mainly to the new engine), power to weight has improved to 265hp per tonne. As a result, an M2 Competition with a manual gearbox - yes, it keeps one of those - will hit 62mph in 4.4 seconds, with the optional dual-clutch taking a couple of tenths from that. Top speed is a limited 155mph, or 174mph if you tell BMW what a talented driver you are (and give them some more money).

A series of chassis changes have also been introduced for the M2 Competition, BMW promising "more progressive on-the-limit characteristics" for this car compared to the standard one. Given one of the M2's most endearing characteristics was its proclivity for pratting around, this bodes very well. The changes implemented include a new steering map for better on centre response (facilitated by a stiffer front end, including the M3's carbon boomerang brace), new springs, retuned dampers and an altered calibration - as in it'll intervene later - for the DSC.

Search used BMW M2s for sale on PistonHeads Classifieds

As standard the Competition will use 380mm front and 370mm rear discs, with an optional upgrade package comprised of 400mm/380mm discs alongside six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers. Probably a wise box to tick if you're considering a few track days. Whichever rotors you plump for they sit behind new 19-inch forged wheels, with 245-section front and 265-section rear Michelin tyres.

As hinted at by the leaked pics, this M2 Competition carries a few subtle cosmetic changes to mark it out from the standard car too. Note the full-M wing mirrors (like an M3, see), the new rear lights and more aggressive rear bumper. Like we said, subtle. The biggest highlights inside are new seats - certainly anyone who preferred an RS3's interior to an M2's before will find nothing to change their mind here.

However, those who did enjoy the M2 previously - and we'll count ourselves amongst them - should be plenty encouraged by the spec confirmed above. Particularly so given the price: the manual Competition will cost £49,285, against the £46,740 of the now-discontinued standard car. The DCT carries the same £2,645 premium as before, making that £51,930. First deliveries are scheduled for August but, if you just can't wait, used M2s are available from £36k. And they're quite good already...

Read more:

BMW M5 vs Cadillac CTS-V

BMW M2 vs BMW M135i: PH Fleet

BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe - Geneva Motor Show 2018

[j_s14a]

Corrr

[CoolHands]

I thought this was one of those great PH competitions where you could win a car

[Ructions]

New seats, but not proper seats from the M3/4?

[Lucifer Morningstar]

Ructions said:

New seats, but not proper seats from the M3/4?

Oh ///M seats are available.... in orange stitching too if needed:





http://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...

[brightbluesmurf]

I'd like to see the options list and standard spec but seems competitive with Audi.

[Chestrockwell]

wow, surely this will steal sales from the M4! I mean yeah it’s slower on paper however I don’t see why somebody would spend an extra 20k on something that probably won’t be that much better!

I don’t understand what the article said about the M2 being discontinued, was it referring to an ordinary M2 or just the manual gearbox?

[philmots]

Wow.. that looks awesome in every way.

Lots of want.

[DannyG863]

Chestrockwell said:

wow, surely this will steal sales from the M4! I mean yeah it’s slower on paper however I don’t see why somebody would spend an extra 20k on something that probably won’t be that much better!

I don’t understand what the article said about the M2 being discontinued, was it referring to an ordinary M2 or just the manual gearbox?

Yes this confused me also. Is the new M2 Competition an exclusive higher model or the new M2?

Also in my thoughts are:

Will it get the individual steering, throttle and damper adjustment buttons as per the larger M cars or will it continue to have the standard 'non M BMW' Sport+, Sport, Comfort, Eco Pro blanket options? (This is actually annoying as when you switch off DSC properly with button held it defaults the setting to Comfort. If you then select Sport or Sport + the DSC returns to default - 'On'. Anyone else found this?? [M135i MY 2014])

Anymore colour options than Blue, Grey, White, Black?

A wheel option colour other than black??

On a less questionable note. Very happy to see the manual gearbox remaining and nice touch to update the seats away from similar to standard M sport cars.

[Kenny Powers]

Very nice.

Could just be the pictures there doesn’t seem much dish on the rear rims?

[Zarco]

DannyG863 said:

Anymore colour options than Blue, Grey, White, Black?

A wheel option colour other than black??

According to Jalopnik: New orange and silver colours. Two wheel options are both black (one less so than the other I think)

Slightly O/T but does anyone else think the M3/M4 sound utterly crap with the sports exhaust?

[DannyG863]

Yeah I agree. They have a bit of a parp at low loads / revs. But I have yet to hear one at full pelt in the flesh. Might sound ok then. Most modern turbo cars are less nice sounding than the older NA stuff. Or even the older turbo stuff for that matter. Bit general I know, but certainly M3/4 not the best sound. Never been the M3's forte (exhaust note) IMO anyway e.g. E46's metallic rasp from outside. But they all go well.

[ecsrobin]

CoolHands said:

I thought this was one of those great PH competitions where you could win a car

I guess that’s 2 of us not winning an M2

[mylesmcd]

DannyG863 said:

Chestrockwell said:

wow, surely this will steal sales from the M4! I mean yeah it’s slower on paper however I don’t see why somebody would spend an extra 20k on something that probably won’t be that much better!

I don’t understand what the article said about the M2 being discontinued, was it referring to an ordinary M2 or just the manual gearbox?

Yes this confused me also. Is the new M2 Competition an exclusive higher model or the new M2?

Also in my thoughts are:

Will it get the individual steering, throttle and damper adjustment buttons as per the larger M cars or will it continue to have the standard 'non M BMW' Sport+, Sport, Comfort, Eco Pro blanket options? (This is actually annoying as when you switch off DSC properly with button held it defaults the setting to Comfort. If you then select Sport or Sport + the DSC returns to default - 'On'. Anyone else found this?? [M135i MY 2014])

Anymore colour options than Blue, Grey, White, Black?

A wheel option colour other than black??

On a less questionable note. Very happy to see the manual gearbox remaining and nice touch to update the seats away from similar to standard M sport cars.

I think this is a higher model M2.

Also, the M4 will be replaced in the next (IIRC) 2 years, so the gap will widen again with the new M3/4 specs (hybrid?)

Will be interesting to root around the configurator when this appears. (german version will be up shortly no doubt)

[Zarco]

DannyG863 said:

Yeah I agree. They have a bit of a parp at low loads / revs. But I have yet to hear one at full pelt in the flesh. Might sound ok then. Most modern turbo cars are less nice sounding than the older NA stuff. Or even the older turbo stuff for that matter. Bit general I know, but certainly M3/4 not the best sound. Never been the M3's forte (exhaust note) IMO anyway e.g. E46's metallic rasp from outside. But they all go well.

Bit of a parp is exactly what I mean. Reminds me of someone hitting a duff note in brass band practice when I was kid. Kind of horrible loud metallic resonating.

[MBeemerman]

I will be sticking with my 1M with full Akrapovic and remap thanks !

[rampageturke]

sold out already right?

[GTEYE]

mylesmcd said:

I think this is a higher model M2.

The standard car is discontinued hence the discounted sell off of stocks

[Ursicles]

This is the one i been waiting for... time to chat to the dealer

[SEGTCSL]

Smart business move by BMW for deliberating watering down the base M2 at first. We all know If it was anything like this from the beginning; it would have hit M4 sales for sure. Looks fab in HS

[dannyDC2]

Love that the press car has a manual box