One of our readers nabbed a parked prototype of BMW’s baby M2 coupe just before an engineer came along to take it out for a spin.
“Had only a couple of minutes before the driver showed up and drove away,” Carscoops reader Nasyr tells us.
“Anyways, the car is apparently US-market. It has a lower stance and wider body, compared to the M235i and more aggressive front grille, with protruding lower splitter. Also, it might have a new shade of black, as the whole car was completely taped – you can see it in some of the pictures,” he said.
To say that there are high expectations for BMW‘s smallest M model would be a major understatement. For many, it’s the spiritual successor to the 2002 Turbo from the 1970s and the original M3 E30 from the mid-1980s – and those are some pretty big shoes to fill in. You can probably squeeze the M 1-Series coupe somewhere in there, but unlike that car, the M2 will be a regular and not a limited production model.
From the pictures, it looks like an M235i on steroids with widened fenders all around under which we find bigger wheels and massive brake discs, extra air-intakes on the new front bumper and quad exhaust pipes and a discreet boot lid spoiler at the back.
What’s missing? A carbon-fiber roof and a bulging bonnet – whether the final production model will have them or if BMW has decided to keep them for the M3/M4 is something we’ll have to wait to find out.
In the engine bay, you’ll find an uprated N55 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six pushing out somewhere from 360 to 380 horses. Nasyr was able to shoot a short video of the car as it was leaving the premises, giving us a sample of what the force-fed straight-six sounds like.
It is believed that BMW will offer the M2 with both a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission transferring power to the rear axle with the help of an electronically controlled limited slip differential with torque vectoring function.
Production of the new M2 will begin this November with sales to start in most countries by the beginning of 2016.
Thanks to Nasyr for the scoop!
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