2019 BMW M2 Competition first driving review: A more powerful entry M drug



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Ask anyone in the Roadshow team to name a blatant flaw in the BMW M2 and they will struggle to find one. The excellent coupe chassis, its turbo 365-horspeower turbo six-cylinder engine and its compact dimensions make it a capable and extraordinarily fun car to glide around race tracks and winding roads. He came first in two of our comparison tests against fierce competition and is made to love fans with his pure and simple makeup. And now for 2019, it gets even better with M2 morphing in the M2 Competition.

Better starts with a new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder under the hood of the M3 / M4, though slightly detuned from 425 horsepower to 405 so as not to pinch the heels of its bigger siblings . It's still good for an increase of 40 ponies compared to the old single-cylinder, while the torque goes from 343 pounds to 406 hearty. A 6-speed manual transmission remains standard and a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox can be equipped for a $ 2,900 addition.

The competition of M2 does not seem too different but it is more powerful and a manager more pointed.


Jon Wong / Roadshow

The M2 Competition sprint at 60 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds with the stick and 4.0 seconds with the double clutch. It's down 4.3 seconds and 4.1 seconds respectively in the outgoing M2.

To cool things down in stressful situations, such as the Ascari circuit in Ronda, Spain, there are larger radiator and calender openings to power the heavier cooling system M4 with the competition package. The additional rumble of the engine is immediately apparent around the difficult rocket track the 3,600-pound coupe in turns and in a straight line, with maximum torque available to you between 2,350-5,250 rpm.

If, for some reason, you are wondering about fuel economy, EPA estimates are not yet available, but you can make a rough estimate based on the larger M4 17 mpg city and 25 mpg Freeway with manual and 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway side with double clutch.

The new heart of the M2 competition is the 405 horsepower version of the M3 / M4 engine.


Jon Wong / Roadshow

The manual transmission is a pleasure to row around Ascari, even with its slightly rubbery engagement, while the automatic readjustment for downshifts allows you to focus more on your brands and not to throw it out of Track. For heel-toe purists, rev-matching can be turned off. A dual clutch session is also fun, with a quick response to manual shift controls and perfectly synchronized gear shifts in fully automatic mode, but the maximum driver satisfaction rating goes to the standard gearbox.

I like power as much as the next guy, but the most endearing feature of the M2 is its manipulative character, which has also undergone a few alterations during its transformation into competition. A carbon fiber engine compartment reinforcement borrowed from the M3 / M4 adds rigidity to the front, while improved ball joints, aluminum control arms and a rigid rear chassis refine the reply. The steering and rear differential adjustment at torque has also been revised, and the six-piston brake calipers at the front and four-piston rear squeeze the larger discs now.

The result is a quick turn on the 245 / 35ZR19 front and 265 / 35ZR19 Michelin Pilot Super Sport rear tires and no-fade brakes for our lead-follow track sessions. After a ginger warm-up lap, there are two flight laps with stability control to provide a comfortable safety net for fast, no-frills racing.

Once familiar with the track and the car, I punch the dynamic mode to control the grip and make things a little more interesting. More skating and skid angle forces me to actually drive and focus on the steering, throttle and brake controls so that the M2 continues in the right direction. Things are more difficult with the rear more loose, but a balanced and communicative chassis does not make it impossible to cane the M2 Competition on the track quickly. When you take a few successive turns, it's an extremely rewarding experience.

The combination of 405 horsepower and a tight maneuverability of the M2 is pure bliss on a track.


Jon Wong / Roadshow

For those who are not concerned with lap times and who prefer to opt for style points, dynamic mode M will allow you to induce controlled drifts. I do not intentionally attempt to do things sideways, but to do it accidentally when I take the throttle too hard to keep pace with the leading car driven by a BMW claw. He may have stayed in the lead, but I at least came out laughing each time.

On winding mountain roads 15 minutes from the track, the M2 Competition continues to impress with its quick reflexes and playful behavior. Road holding is not great with the passive suspension that offers enough to soften the shock of the bumps and the generously reinforced M Sport seats keeping me comfortable and strapped in place.

If you wait to hear about a series of M2 Alterations competition booth, get ready to be disappointed. The changes simply include the steering wheel of the M3 / M4 with the competition group, the BMW M belts woven into the seat belts and a red start / stop button on the engine.

Do not expect too much change in the M2 interior, but standard M Sport seats are comfortable and supportive.


Jon Wong / Roadshow

The infotainment control is BMW's iDrive 6 responsive system with an 8.8-inch display that includes a 12-speaker Harman / Kardon standard speaker, navigation and Apple CarPlay capabilities . Disappointing, BMW still does not support Android Auto. A Wi-Fi hotspot and a wireless charging cradle are available as an option. Standard safety features include front collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and a reversing camera.

When it arrives in dealerships in September, the BMW M2 2019 competition will start at $ 59,895, including the destination, which is a nice bump compared to the starting price of $ 55,495 for the BMW M2 2018. You can watch the stiffer entry cost of the competition as an attack against it, but again, it is noticeably more capable than its predecessor and still a little more affordable than the M $ 70,145 coupe.

It seems that I still have nothing when it comes to finding major flaws with the M2.

Editor's note: Roadshow accepts multi-day vehicle loans made by manufacturers to provide editorial criticism. All marked vehicle examinations are completed on our territory and according to our conditions. However, for this feature, the manufacturer has covered travel expenses. This is common in the automotive industry because it is much cheaper to ship reporters to cars than to send cars to reporters.

The judgments and opinions of the Roadshow editorial team are ours and we do not accept any editorial content. ] [ad_2]
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