BMW Has Nicknamed The Next M2 ‘Drift Machine’

Work has commenced on the next-generation BMW M2 and the company is committed to making it just as driver-focused as the current model.

During an interview with Motoring at the Paris Auto Show, BMW development boss chief Klaus Frohlich admitted that the new M2 has been internally nicknamed the ‘Drift Machine.’

According to Frohlich, he decided to dub the vehicle ‘Drift Machine’ as a way to ensure designers and engineers remember the vehicle’s purpose as a driver’s car for every step of its development.

“The next-generation 2 Series will be called the Drift Machine, so whenever I look at the design I can say ‘Adrian [van Hooydonk, BMW design chief], does that really look like a drift machine? It should have more thrill, do something more. If I drive the car I say ‘is it a Drift Machine?”

For some time, there were fears that the next-generation BMW 2-Series would adopt the same front/all-wheel drive UKL platform as the BMW 1-Series. However, Frohlich managed to convince BMW to stick with a rear-wheel drive platform for the vehicle.

“People asked ‘does it [rear-wheel drive] really matter because the segment is too small?’ and I think it is so important for the brand and it’s so important for M, because the M2 is the entry model.

“So I fought hard and I won, so you will have also a 2 Series successor that will have the power where you need it,” he said.

Frohlich admitted that the new M2 isn’t the only vehicle which he’s given an evocative nickname. He also refers to the new X5 as ‘The Boss’ and nicknamed the upcoming X6 as ‘The Beast.’