BMW M2 coupe gets 453bhp and rear-wheel drive

BMW has revealed its new M2.

BMW M2: Newfound performance

The car comes powered by a turbocharged 3-litre inline-6 engine that pushes out a total of 453bhp and 550Nm of torque. This engine can be paired either to a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission.

Opt for the former and you’ll get a century sprint time of 4.3 seconds, while the latter does it in an even quicker 4.1 seconds.

For context, these figures exceed the 444bhp offered and come close to the claimed 4 second sprint time of the previous BMW M2 CS when equipped with the 7-speed M double-clutch transmission.

Power in this new BMW M2 is also sent exclusively to the rear wheels, through an Active M Differential as standard.

Added aggression

Complementing this newfound power is a new, more aggressively styled exterior.

Up front, you must have noticed that the kidney grille here houses horizontal bars. Lower down, the air intakes are now rectangular items, dramatically different from those on the BMW M240i coupe.

Prominently flared side skirts and muscular wheel arches meanwhile, define the view from the flank of the BMW M2.

Meanwhile at the rear, a discreet spoiler lip is countered by those vertically arranged reflectors and the two pairs of exhaust tailpipes housed within rear apron’s diffuser insert.

You’ll also be able to spec yours with a carbon fibre roof, which shaves 6kg off the car’s weight.

Added Dynamism

Even if you don’t opt for the carbon roof, you can still rely on adaptive M suspension, M Servotronic steering, and a Dynamic Stability Control system with an M Dynamic Mode to help rein in the rest of the M2’s mass.

M Compound brakes with six-piston, fixed-callipers at the front and single-piston, floating-calipers meanwhile, will offer stopping power at the rear.

Step in the BMW M2, and you’ll find the firm’s Curved Display serving duty, which combines a 12.3-inch information display with a 14.9-inch control display.

And if you desire, there also are M Carbon bucket seats offered as an option.

These make use of CFRP in the structural elements of the seat cushion and backrest alongside cut-outs in the side bolsters and below the head restraints, shaving another 10.8kg off from the standard M Sports seats.

This article was first published in Torque. Permission required for reproduction.