M2 Competition: More than a sports car
BMW’s updated M2 is still in a class of its own amid the arrival of more price-affordable sports cars
WHAT’S NEW? Like in many new Mercedes-AMGs, BMW’s M cars now come in two power guises. While the basic version carries a regular badge, the Competition moniker is used on the go-faster variant (AMG uses the S letter).
But that’s not exactly the case with the M2 Competition, as tested here on Thai roads, which actually forms as the mid-life update of BMW’s smallest M-honed coupe.
Yes, it’s more powerful than the regular model, but the M2 Competition boasts a new engine. Replacing the 370hp single-turbo sixer (N55) is a 410hp twin-turbo unit (S55), detuned from that used in the M3 and M4.
For M fans, this mechanical change might already be sufficient for an update, which is probably why they might choose to overlook some small cosmetic alterations like a reshaped black kidney grille, as such.
The price of the M2 Competition is set at some 6.259 million baht, higher than the pre-facelift model by 360k. That’s still decent when you consider that the 300hp versions of the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 718 Cayman, both appointed with sporty trim, nudge the 7 million baht mark.
But, on the other hand, some new lower-priced sports cars have arrived on Thai shores after the M2’s inception including the sub-5 million baht 460hp Ford Mustang V8 and 390hp MercedesAMG C43 Coupe. Can any comparison with the M2 Competition be valid?
WHAT’S COOL?
When we first drove and thrashed the M2 around a racetrack in the US three years ago, it was noted that more power could have served better justice for the chassis. In fact, the M2 inherited the front subframe from the M4 ever since.
So here it is, the S55-tagged straight-six that not only makes the M2 Competition genuinely powerful in a straight line but highly entertaining when roads start to meander.
The carried-over dual-clutch automatic is still terrific to use thanks to its quick shifting operation (the M2 could be among the last to use such a gearbox now that the M boys have gone soft with torque-converter autos in their latest creations).
Thanks to a rear-drive chassis, it’s relatively easy to unsettle the car’s tail upon a moderate tap on the throttle. It’s a playful attitude that many driving enthusiasts have come to like, apart from the M2 already being highly agile to steer.
Adding up to driving fun is the so-called MDM mode that allows drivers to enjoy wheelspins and control slides within a loosened safety net. Power from the 400hp-plus engine easily overwhelms the chassis in many real-world conditions recalling the old days of the E46-based M3.
Yes, you don’t have to risk losing your license to have a good time in the M2 Competition. But if you like outright speed, it’s governed top speed will be attained with no sweat in the open, like in the Mustang.
Despite being a compact coupe, the M2 manages to offer enough space for four without being inferior to both the Ford and AMG.
The racy feel in the M2 Competition is enhanced with the usual quad exhausts, nicelooking 19-inch wheels, blown rear wheel arches and sumptuous amounts of carbon fibre trim in the cabin. Rivals are also tailored similarly, but it feels more pure in the Bimmer.
WHAT’S NOT?
Possibly the biggest downside in the M2 Competition is the stiff ride where no adjustable dampers can be found. It’s quite bouncy over uneven road surfaces, even for driving purists. The obvious benefit, though, is good high-speed stability. Anybody liking to blast away in an unfussed manner might find the all-wheel drive system (and more comfortable riding chassis) in the C43 a boon. But that’s almost missing the point in a car designed for tail-waggling.
And, surely, the M2 Competition can’t match the Mustang’s V8 for aural thrills. But, again, as a turbocharged in-line-six, the noise sounds naturally mechanical and loud when provoked. Some people like that.
BUY OR BYE?
To answer the question posed earlier, making comparisons with the cheaper alternatives is quite invalid because each of these trio serve a different purpose and slightly varied audience.
The Mustang appeals to enthusiasts liking its V8 and for what it is in a name; the C43 offers fast and easy manners for those not needing the fullfat AMG treatment; the M2 Competition serves up raw thrills for those seeking the joy of driving fun.
And if you’ve already read about the AMG’s CLA45 on the opposite side of this spread, Merc’s pocket rocket is still less involving to drive in comparison to the M2 Competition.
What the M2 Competition has managed to really do for the first time is plug the gap between itself and that equally fine 718 Cayman in terms of driving enjoyment. That bi-turbo engine should have been available in the M2 all along.