Back in Spirit, Back for Real
When BMW first produced it’s M3, it was a small and nimble driver’s machine. Razor sharp handling for its time and an extremely potent four-cylinder engine, made the E30 such a sought-after car. As the 3-Series footprint grew over the years, the M3 models that were produced were still excellent driving machines. Their handling improved, and so did power delivery. Sadly, with the increase in size, the small, chuck-around, low-weighted car started becoming a bit of a handful. With the 2-Series Coupe platform, BMW have proven that they still know how to make a car that is pure in experience.
There is just 1,595kg of car to lug around. Under the hood, lies a potent 3-litre, straight 6, featuring a twin scroll turbocharger, BMW’s variable valve control and Double-Vanos variable cam timing, and mated to their 7-speed M DCT, the M2 rockets to 100km/h in just 4.3 seconds.
The short wheelbase of the M2 does make the car very nimble around the bends. Being near the rear wheel, also makes feeling where the rear goes with your bum a very natural thing. The sport tuned suspension ensures very good dampening from the bumps, while ensuring that the wheels are well planted on the road, as much as possible.
While the pedals behind the wheel can keep you engaged with your drive, I would recommend lifting your hand off that wheel, and just shifting with the gear knob instead. I slowly learnt that doing so simply increased driving satisfaction. I found it to make me feel extremely manly too… My only gripe here, is that there is no safety on the shifter, and you may, in the midst of a spirited drive pop the car into neutral by accident.
Pitching into a series of corners, it was a case of punching the shift lever two gears down, feeding in the throttle, letting the car enter and powering in, just enough to get the rear to shift that little, throttle, gear up, right foot, and drop a gear again (hear the exhaust blip), before flicking off into the next corner, feeling the very predictable weight transference as you do it, and gunning the car. Repeating this a few times will make you just simply love how well engineered and balanced the M2 really is.
Torque and power isn’t everything, while there is 370bhp on tap, and 465Nm at a low 1,400rpm, the M2 needs to be respected. A heavy foot will only get this car to misbehave. Fortunately, there are enough driving aids in the car to keep you out of trouble, as long as you do not select Sport+ while in idiot mode.
Perhaps, being the first M2, this car might in time become a cult classic. But for now, if you did ever drool over the original M3 as a kid, BMW in spirit, has brought the car back. But what you really are getting, is a car which will never disappoint in it’s drive.
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