There are a few jobs that are so cool even the richest people in the world would take them. Formula 1 driver and bourbon whiskey tester are just a few off the top of my head. Another one can be seen in these new spy photos, as there’s a person whose job it is to test drive the upcoming BMW M2 in the Arctic Circle. (We don’t own the spy photos but you can see them here)
In these new photos, we get seen the upcoming G87-generation BMW M2 doing some cold weather testing in the Arctic Circle. Most M2 owners aren’t going to be driving their rear-wheel drive, 400-plus horsepower BMW in such weather but BMW needs to know that it can handle it anyway. So someone was paid good money to go to the Arctic Circle and slide the upcoming M2 around in the snow. Where does one apply for such jobs?
So far, the BMW M2 is looking good. It looks like a proper M car should; low and wide with flared wheel arches and muscular rear haunches. The M-style wing mirrors look good and the grilles are appropriately sized. The new M240i is a mostly good looking car, so I fully expect the proper BMW M2 to be great looking.
More important than how it looks is how it will drive, though. The new M2 is said to be getting a detuned version of the M3’s S58 engine; a 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged inline-six but with around 450 horsepower, instead of base M3’s 473 horsepower. Torque will likely be around the 406 lb-ft mark, similar to the base M3. Any more than that and the M2 would likely be too much to handle. Especially in the snow.
Enthusiasts rejoice, as the BMW M2 will also come with a manual transmission option, marking the last-ever 2 Series to get one. In fact, it might be the last BMW in history to get a manual, as all forthcoming models might only be available with automatic transmissions, all the way up until BMW switches to full-electrification. Either way, manuals are on their way out, so smoke ’em if you got ’em.
We should be seeing the production BMW M2 sometime this year, so stay tuned for the full reveal. It will go on sale as a 2023 model and will be your last chance to get an internal combustion M2.
[Source: Motor1] [Spy shots: instagram.com/wilcoblok]
