[jphughan]

OP, out of curiosity have you tracked the GT4 yet? Do you plan to?

Although I haven't driven an M2 yet, having come from an E92 M3 to a GT4, I can imagine what you mean about the M2 being more fun than a GT4 on the road because of its lower limits and "imperfection", and if I weren't going to the track at all, I never would have bought a GT4. Maybe an M2 or a Spyder, though even those would have been tough for me to justify to myself with no track time at all, but even though the GT4 feels very special even on the road, as you say it's also way overkill and you'd never escape the feeling that you weren't getting anywhere near what it could really offer in that setting, and trying to do so would land you in jail or in a coffin. I guess that's the reason that 80% of Porsche GT car owners take them to the track, and a fair chunk of the remaining 20% is probably collectors who bubble wrap the cars.

Anyhow, I'm glad to see all of these great impressions of the M2. If I hadn't been able to get a GT4 and somehow also didn't have/want my E9x M3 anymore either, the M2 is increasingly looking like the BMW I would buy. I have my quibbles with it (exterior styling especially in the rear, basketball leather, disabling auto-blip requiring disabling DSC, turbo engine, maybe the seats depending on how they feel), but the F8x M4 didn't wow me at all, so I'm glad to know BMW still seems to have a modern car that I'd be interested in should the need ever arise. Yeah the interior isn't great compared to the F8x (never mind the GT4), but for the price point it seems reasonable enough, and like you I don't really pay much attention to the interior once I'm driving.

Thanks for the write-up!