The new BMW M2 is way bigger and fatter than before, so much so it’s almost on a par with the big-brother M4. So, is it still fun to drive? That’s what MotorWeek’s Greg Carloss wanted to find out, so he took the G87 to Virginia at the Dominion Raceway. Shot from a helmet-mounted camera, the immersive video puts you behind the wheel of the second-generation M2. It gets a bit bouncy at times, but that’s how it is out on the track in real life.
Ahead of July 7 when episode 4244 of MotorWeek will air and we’ll find out the full verdict about the new M compact-ish car, early impressions are the M2 still feels light on its feet. That’s despite the fact it now weighs 1,725 kilograms in European specification and 3,814 pounds for the North American model. These numbers refer to the version equipped with the six-speed manual gearbox as it’s the case here. The model fitted with the eight-speed automatic transmission is slightly heavier, by approximately 24 kg (53 lbs).
Greg Carloss finds the M2 tossable and a bit of a hooligan as the rear end likes to dance around. There are some rumors of an xDrive variant arriving further down the line, but as far as we know, a final decision has yet to be taken. The spicy CS version arriving in 2025 with a yet-to-be-confirmed 518 horsepower is expected to keep the rear-wheel-drive layout but lose the clutch pedal by going auto-only.
The M2 was driven on the track with the rev-matching function on but prior to shooting this video, the reviewer found the pedals to be perfectly spaced for heel and toe downshifts. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice the car’s gas tank was nearly empty, with the driver’s display showing an estimated remaining range of just 16 miles. That’s one way to get rid of that excess weight…
Later in the video, the new M2 effortlessly hits 140 mph (225 km/h) on the straight line, with more speed to spare as BMW quotes an electronically capped 155 mph (250 km/h). Go for the optional M Driver’s Package and the limiter is loosened to 177 mph (285 km/h).
Love it or loathe it, the M2 is likely to go down in history as the last BMW M production car with a manual gearbox before plug-in hybrids and EVs take over. You still have plenty of time to decide whether it’s worth your hard-earned money as the G87 is rumored to remain in production until July 2029.
Source: MotorWeek / YouTube
