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      02-15-2016, 10:00 AM   #1
Sam@Bimmerpost
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Drives: E90 M3 Silverstone
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Exclamation BIMMERPOST BMW M2 In Depth Review from Laguna Seca

BIMMERPOST BMW M2 VIDEO REVIEW



I've just retuned from Monterey, California where I sampled the new F87 BMW M2 on both street and track. After I returned, I pulled an all nighter on Sunday evening, followed by more evening hours on Monday and all of Tuesday morning to put together this extended video review for you. It is the longest and most ambitious BIMMERPOST project to date. Jason also did a whole bunch of work on the back end preparing the assets and media in time for this launch. We've seen the fury of M2 anticipation on the forum and we are here to deliver! I also devoted special attention in comparing it to the M3 and M4 because I understand it is important to the readership here.

To summarize my feelings on the new F87 M2, this is the most exciting BMW I have driven since I started reviewing BMWs for BIMMERPOST. It is powerful, grippy and capable but unlike most modern performance cars today, it actually cares about the driver and involves him or her wholly in the experience. It is interactive, playful and approachable in a way that rivals the best driver's cars of all time. It is a deeply satisfying car to learn and will inspire you to become a better driver.

At 51,000 USD base (60,000 CAD), the M2 is tremendous value for the money. Even if you set aside performance -- of which it carries plenty -- the interactive experience of piloting the M2 is worth the price of admission. It is a completely different animal to both the M235i and the M3/M4. The M235i is not really a true M-car and the divide between it and the M2 is obvious within a few minutes of driving. And while the M3 and M4 are excellent vehicles, they are tuned for performance and sophistication. They are exceedingly well polished and mature products and have in fact, become too good for their own good. They have become slightly more grand tourer than pure sports car. I like and respect them a great deal -- and I understand their popularity around here -- but the M2 is the one that pulls at my heartstrings. Here is a car I would buy with my own money. The M2 is not just good. The M2 is bad. It is a complete badass.

The reason I think the M2 is such a riot is that while you can drive it neat and tidy, this little beast is most exciting when you get it moving around. It inspires you to play and drift. And because it is intuitive and communicative and approachable, it earns your trust quickly. You are encouraged to explore its limits. The Michelin Pilot Super Sports are the perfect tire for this car, giving the M2 a very grippy and responsive chassis while maintaining very progressive breakaway characteristics. It also rides well for such a focused machine. This is BMW chassis magic at its very finest.

In fact, the M2 has made me fall in love with BMW all over again. I grew up in the days of the E46 M3, E39 M5 and the Z3 M Coupe and Roadster in the same brochure (they still handed out brochures back then). While the E46 M3 and E39 M5 were the polished, sophisticated machines that retained a wild side, the Z3 M Coupe and Roadster were total animals. In a way, this is exactly like the new M2. It is clear to me that it was designed and tuned by a group of die-hard enthusiasts who loving driving as much as we do! You can only drive the M2 respectfully for so long before the urge to play rolls in. It is both a hero maker and a hooligan enabler. This the kind of M car that has been missing for a long, long time and what a pleasant surprise to find something like this in 2016. The M2 is all about the thrill of driving.

If you haven't ordered one already, do it now. I'm already looking for ways to get this car into my own garage.

As always, your comments and questions are welcome. I'll be here to chat with you on this thread and discuss this new M2. I'll also continue to update this post with additional written content as they come to mind.


BMW M2 on Laguna Seca

BMW M2 MotorGP Safety Car Featuring M Performance Parts

BMW M2 vs 1M Coupe and 2002

Sam@Bimmerpost


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