First drive: 2023 BMW M2 coupe review - unleashing the power and performance
Delhi : I'm going to start this review off by expressing a very controversial viewpoint. For the enthusiast, modern sports vehicles serve no purpose at all. A large phallus competition has developed. A maze of safety net after safety net must be wrapped around them to prevent the old men driving them from accidentally killing themselves on their way to the next drive-through, club, or wherever it is that people take most supercars because they are essentially undrivable in their completely unleashed forms. Although some of them do become race vehicles, I haven't seen many track day regulars arrive in a supercar that is completely stock.
For the true enthusiast, people who truly like driving, 400-500bhp, seats two, occasionally four, is where it's at. That should help to explain why the last version of the BMW M2 was the M-car with the highest sales volume ever. This new one is a whole level up, but slightly more costly and less democratic. Let me explain.
The G87, the latest version of the M2, is not only a makeover of the previous model. completely new. This indicates that even while the current version of its 2-series underpins it, it is stiffer, sharper, and maybe most crucially, has the 3.0-liter S58 engine in the engine bay.
Both the current M3 and M4 generations are powered by the same twin-turbo 3.0 litre straight-six engine. Detuned somewhat to 460 horsepower, but still producing 550 Nm of amazing tarmac tearing delight. You could choose between the 6-speed manual or the 8-speed ZF, which is considerably quicker. I will reluctantly concede that both gears have a strong argument for themselves before defending the 6-speed manual for factors that only a select few may find relevant. However, we'll discuss it later.
The new BMW M2 is bigger, as you've surely noticed, but in a stylish way. When you see a speed breaker on the M2, you need to start perspiring because the M2 is just slightly slower. It is wider due to the broad body aero elements, which really scream GT3 feelings, but it is also longer so adults can fit in the rear seat without requiring amputation of one of their legs. Who are we kidding, though? You don't have children and you're purchasing an M2 coupe. However, if the necessity should come, I can certainly state that you can accommodate two adults in the rear seat since I've tried. In case you were wondering, the trip in the rear is also not too bad.
Additionally, you have an independent zone control, which in my opinion is more than enough, for the air conditioning in the back seats. Additionally, you get a very large boot with a capacity of 390 litres, which is plenty for one week of travel and a weekend vacation for two people. In order to compete for the moniker of "every man's M-Car," the M2 coupe must be both a track demon and a practical vehicle. Whichever is true.
The inside is far from sparse; it is mostly a 2-series with the M-treatment, which includes several carbon fibre inlays and M colours that have been subtly incorporated into the door panels. However, the giant curved display behind the steering wheel, which combines a 12.3-inch instrument cluster with a second 14.9-inch iDrive 8 touchscreen infotainment screen, remains the focal point. Additionally, there are an endless amount of layout combinations for data readouts, media, and navigation. Even though the optional carbon buckets were not available for our test car, I was nevertheless really happy with the comfort and M-themed appearance of the base bucket seats. Our test vehicle has a carbon-fiber roof as well, although it's still not entirely apparent whether the India
The S58 in this M2 produces just 20 horsepower less than the normal M3 and M4 does. Which translates to 4.2 seconds for the manual and 3.9 seconds for the ZF automatic gearbox to reach 100 km/h. Still, the power is sent towards the back wheels via a limited-slip differential. It is still rather undistilled, to use enthusiast language. You can sense the wide-rev band of the S58. The scary stuff only starts to happen at 4,000 rpm, and while it does seem a little slow to get there at first, maintaining the boil is all that's required after that. On the other hand, it also implies that the M2 is easier to drive on the highway.
The 6-speed manual gearbox is a direct upgrade from the M3 down to the linkages, and it's wonderful for the most part. However, one does feel that the throws should have been a little bit shorter, but that's about it. In all honesty, once you get used to it and start driving, it more than makes up for it with how much fun it is. This iteration also has the auto-blip feature, which saves you some footwork, but you may disable it if you're comfortable doing so without disabling the traction control. When you consider that we were never able to drive the prior iteration of the M2, this doesn't seem like a huge deal.
