Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich@GTBPerformance
I agree, unless there are plans to up the power on the M3/M4 there won't be much room to squeeze this car in between the M235i and M3
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I was thinking the same. If you look at the pricing gap between the M235i and the M3/4, there's plenty of room, but on the performance side, there's a narrow window.
BMW states 0-100 km/h in 4.8s on the
M235i page. The
M4 coupe technical data page states 0-100km/h in 4.1-4.3s. So, you're dealing with a window of around 0.5s when you look at this single dimension. I think the answer to the "where does this fit" question probably lies in the "single dimension" part. BMW may not seek to differentiate the M2 significantly in the 0-100km/h department. The published figures may only be 0.1-0.2s faster than the M235i. If my intuition is correct, the focus will be in the handling and road holding department; especially handling.
The greatest evidence of this can be found in the rumors of an I4 power plant. The 328i has been widely praised as having better balance and handling than the 335i. Yes, the 335i is faster in almost every objective measure, but the lower weight of the N20 engine reduces weight in just the right spot. Mass-market customers will opt for the 335i and not blink an eye, because they're not focused on the finer points of handling, they're focused on what happens when they put their foot down. And that's fine; not looking to start a flame war here. Both the 328i and 335i are fantastic cars, but a buyer might choose one or the other for a variety of reasons.
It's all about making a car for each type of buyer.
At least that's my hope. If significant effort is made to reduce weight and tune the steering and chassis for feedback and predictability, I'd be more than happy to pay a premium in spite of similar 0-60 times.