BMW M2 Competition Pack
New Competition pack gives small coupé a 404bhp shot in arm as it battles Audi TT RS
M3’s straight-six power for revised rapid coupé
Upgraded brakes, chassis tweaks and style changes added
Sporty two-door goes on sale next month after Beijing debut
THE BMW M2 has been judged as one of the finest offerings in recent years from the high-performance Bavarian brand – and now the car is going to get an added shot of adrenalin with the M2 Competition Pack. The brand new two-door Coupé has been announced ahead of its public debut at the Beijing Motor Show.
The M2 Competition Pack lifts its new engine from the outgoing M3, and will replace the standard M2 when it goes on sale in May. Ditching the current M2’s 3.0-litre straight-six (which started life in the M135i hatchback) and slotting in the higher-spec M3 unit boosts power by 39bhp, to 404bhp. It also adds a further 50Nm of torque to take the peak figure to 550Nm, pushing the M2 Competition past the five-cylinder Audi TT RS, which has 395bhp and 480Nm.
As a result, the new model can crack 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds with the DCT auto trimming a tenth of a second from the old car’s benchmark time. But the four-wheel-drive TT remains even faster, completing the sprint in 3.7 seconds.
Opt for the M Driver’s Package and the M2’s electronic top speed is raised to 170mph. Upgraded brakes, a new exhaust system and revised chassis tuning round off the technical changes, alongside cosmetic upgrades.
These visual tweaks include a new front spoiler and Shadow Line gloss black kidney grille, as well as redesigned exhaust pipes and double-arm door mirrors. That shiny black finish has been applied to the side gills, while all-new 19-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels feature, also available in black. The rest of the recently facelifted M2’s changes are carried over, with revised light clusters at the rear and adaptive LED headlamps to the front.
Elsewhere, the outgoing M2’s silver badges have been replaced by otherwise-identical black versions, just like you’ll find on the Competition variants of the M3 and M4. Other features include a new red starter button, M3-sourced seats with illuminated badging, M dials in the instrument panel, M seatbelts and Competition-branded door trims. All cars get front and rear parking sensors as standard, as well as Professional Navigation and BMW Connected Drive.
Customers will be able to choose from two new paint colours – Sunset Orange and Hockenheim Silver – which are being added to the range for 2018. Buyers can also pick between orange or blue contrast stitching for the perforated leather seats.
The M2 Competition Pack will have configurable driver modes and, as on the M3 and M4, owners will be able to set up shortcuts to these settings via ‘M1’ and ‘M2’ buttons on the steering wheel. A six-speed
manual transmission will continue to be offered to all M2 buyers, too.
While the tweaks have a positive effect on performance, there’s a drop in quoted fuel economy. The manual model claims 28.5mpg (down from 33.2mpg), with the more efficient DCT auto promising 30.7mpg. CO2 emissions increase on both models as well.
The standard M2 Competition Pack will start from £49,285, while the DCT auto version will cost £51,930. That represents an increase of £2,590 and £2,990 respectively. Both cars can be ordered from mid-may, but customer deliveries aren’t expected until August.