[Corinne]

Wow... a fantastic review of a great car by a cute guy ! I have two questions, if I may. Is that the standard exhaust or M-Performance one and is the sound inside the car, on the video, the real sound or is it partly the fake sound ? Thanks !

[RoninX]

Great review and great video, Sam! I'm glad you took the time to really give us a good feel for the car.

A couple questions:

Did you notice any turbo lag on the street, like the BimmerFile review mentioned?

Have you driven a C7 Corvette? And if so, how would you compare it to the M2? Right now, the M2, the C7, and the Cayman are the three cars I'm considering.

[konoyei]

Have been waiting for the review to roll in to decide my next car, thanks for the hard work.

[Sam@Bimmerpost]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

Sam where are you from? I hear a lot of Brit speak in there.

Canada!

Originally Posted by Artemis

Well done, Sam !

Always appreciated to witness some straight talk presented with genuine enthusiasm. Hands-on.

I also liked the fact that you refrained from going through all the specs and options: most viewers want their thirst to be quenched, pleasing the senses with sound and vision. You spoiled us the right way.

Furthermore, what a privilege to be offered the chance to drive the M2 6MT and M2 M-DCT back-to-back. 6MT got the upper hand for you, both in a literal and figurative way. That perfectly makes sense to me.

As the M2 seems to remind you of sweet oldskool ///M, I got a 1M related question for you. As you know, Frank Isenberg was the key engineer behind the 1M and was equally the M2 project leader. In the CAR interview (December 2015) he pointed out that the 1M feistiness factor was taken care of for the M2:

The 1M rode like it had ants in its pants, and you caught its oversteer more with punches than steering inputs. I ask [Frank Isenberg] if that feistiness was intentional, or a by-product of the M melting pot. «Byproduct,» confirms Isenberg. «We were still learning with the turbocharged engine. For the M2, the ride is much more compliant, and it’s not so tricky at the limit.» The big question, of course, is how M2 compares with M4, and which Isenberg prefers. «M2,» he answers without hesitation. «I like the smaller cars. The M2 might even be faster through a tight slalom.» Or around the Nürburgring. Officially, the M2 is good for a 7min 58sec, the M4 a 7min52sec. The 1M did 8min 15sec.

So here's my question for you: may we consider the M2 as a 'domesticated' 1M beast ? The wild youngster that got matured a little, but still got the itch for some hooliganism if requested to do so ?

Re your reference to the E46 M3 CSL. The airbox song sung by that car is nothing less than outright glorious (and without Active Sound Design):

My M2 goes into production next April. Spec'ed as 6MT and Mineral Grey from day 1. Zero hesitation. It's gonna be my twisties & mountain passes fun provider.

Attachment 1366434Attachment 1366435

Thanks for the feedback. And I really enjoyed that CSL video you posted. Now I get it. It does sound scrumptious.

And congrats on your 1M. Mineral Grey is a fantastic choice. You're going to love it. 6 speed for the win.

Unfortunately, I never got a chance to review the 1M. But from what you just quoted, the M2 is definitely a supple car and the suspension design contributes to it being so malleable at the limit. If you watch the video closely, you can actually see signs of this suppleness as I corner at Laguna. It feels exactly as it looks, very predictable and easy to control. It's a beautifully tuned car and really flattering to the driver. This is part of the reason why it's so good to drive. I think reading between the lines, this is something that might have been absent from the 1M. Maybe an owner can confirm.

Originally Posted by Doctor///M

^ what he said. A great all-round review without all the silly wheel spin and slow-mo antics!

Thanks! I was just thinking today... all I need now for my reviews is some smokey drifts and slow motion. Maybe not. With this long form video I wanted to try and hit the niche of a video that would appeal to forum enthusiasts. Like you guys, obviously. I mean people who are hungry for information. Sights and sounds and content. And make the video relatable as an experience of the launch. Looks like it was a good approach based on the feedback so far. Especially so since we're first out of a gate with an in depth video. I could've cut this video shorter than I did, but I chose to do it this way and see how people responded. All the feedback here is very helpful. I think one reason this worked well here is because the M2 is so hotly anticipated. I can't imagine doing this for the 760i I did previously.

Originally Posted by pruettfan

Very well done Sam. The video is going to haunt me!!! I have been dying to get my allocation and this will make it far worse. Clearly you enjoyed the car. What are your thoughts about living with it as a daily driver??

I think it's perfectly livable and in fact, comfortable. I do have a higher tolerance for discomfort than average when it comes to cars, but I think it's perfectly fine for a daily. It's firm but I would never call it harsh. I did drive my 997 GT3 daily for an entire year and the M2 is far more comfortable than the 997 GT3.

Originally Posted by dammitcubs

Im happy we got multiple laps. Sam just basically just kept recording the entire session. Awesome!!

I'm glad you liked it! I was thinking I could've cut the edit by a full lap, but this being Laguna Seca and the car being an M2 I didn't think you guys would mind. Glad it's confirmed.

Originally Posted by 3tekcorps

Sam,

Thanks for the great review and detailed write up.

Any feedback on road noise and ride comfort as a daily driver. When the awe factor wears off the new high performance level of the M2, is this something you could take on a 6 hour road trip? Or should I ask if this is something you could take mom on a long trip in and expect minimal complaints. How much louder is it than the regular 2 series when not wide open?

I need a jack of all trades, not just a track machine

It's not much louder than the M235i for instance if you're not driving hard. A bit, but it can play the subdued card too. I would happily take it on a 6 hour road trip. The seats are excellent, it's easy to find a perfect driving position, and the ride is firm but never harsh. I really don't think anybody should worry about an M2 being uncomfortable for road trips or daily driving. These are sporting BMWs but they are still designed to be all-rounders. They are intended to be driven on both the street and the track, but primarily the street. This isn't really a 'track car' the way a GT3 RS is a 'track car'.

Originally Posted by idk alex

Sam, how does this compare to the 1M?

I wish I could tell you, but I never got a chance to review the 1M. See the response to Artemis for some extrapolations.

Originally Posted by King_Slayer

Thanks Sam and Jason and everybody else who made the video possible, great job and we all appreciate it!

From the reviews and videos that have been posted I get an understanding of what it will be like on track, but how did the car feel on the streets? Will it be super stiff as a daily driver? Or was it a comfortable drive?

Thanks

Perfectly livable. Firm but still comfortable. It's never harsh. See my response above.

Originally Posted by MCarsFan

i think the M2 will be everything we all look for in a fun throwback to the first MCars. It's going to be an amazing daily driver.

Throwback MCar is a great way to describe it. I wish I'd thought of that!

Originally Posted by Transfer

I really like the M2 in so many ways, but while the sound is good, it is dull. It sounds like my M235i which is not a bad thing but I can't help but miss naturally aspirated induction and mechanical noise. These turbo cars are just too subdued. Now if you like air vacuum noise and exhaust only, then no problem here but the E46 CSL video above just really highlights the difference of actually hearing the car vs the ho hum of the turbo cars. Imagine the M2 with an 8400 RPM I6 or V8. The torque is great in the turbos, but the auditory emotion of NA can't be replaced.

I agree with you, but NA isn't coming back and this is the best sounding turbo BMW I've heard so far. For everything else amazing that the car does well, having to put up with its turboness is a small price to pay, IMO.

If someone can fit an S54 in there... why not!

[spd974]

I just picked up an F80 M3 6MT for the convenience of 4 doors.

I was on a waiting list for the M2 (#12). Your great review is making me second guess myself!

[Sam@Bimmerpost]

Originally Posted by RoninX

Great review and great video, Sam! I'm glad you took the time to really give us a good feel for the car.

A couple questions:

Did you notice any turbo lag on the street, like the BimmerFile review mentioned?

Have you driven a C7 Corvette? And if so, how would you compare it to the M2? Right now, the M2, the C7, and the Cayman are the three cars I'm considering.

I have not noticed any turbo lag on the street. Not once did I think 'turbo lag'.

I have not driven the C7. However, I can tell you lots about the 981 Cayman. The Cayman feels more buttoned down and has more resilient rear traction. The M2 with its short wheelbase and substantial torque breaks traction much more easily. This contributes to its feelings of friskiness and chassis movement and agility. The Cayman is more composed and has the beautiful turn in and cornering feel of a mid-mounted engine. I love both but I have more fun in the M2. If you're interested in the Cayman, consider watching my Cayman GTS review.

Originally Posted by Corinne

Wow... a fantastic review of a great car by a cute guy ! I have two questions, if I may. Is that the standard exhaust or M-Performance one and is the sound inside the car, on the video, the real sound or is it partly the fake sound ? Thanks !

Thank you Corinne. I'm flattered.

1.) Standard exhaust. It sounds fabulous. I wouldn't bother with anything else personally but a weight savings might be a good reason to buy a performance exhaust.

2.) The sound you hear on the video is 'mixed' by me. I had a mic at the intake, a mic at the exhaust, and a mic in the interior. In the final recording you hear mostly interior audio and also a smaller mixture of the intake and exhaust audio. In real life, you still hear all three but with the windows up it's mostly the interior soundtrack that you hear. It's a bassy deep ripping sound. Really satisfying. Is there sound synthesizer? Very possible. But all I can say is that it's undetectable to me and it sounded GREAT from both inside the car and outside listening on the main straightaway. It's the best sounding modern turbo BMW.

PS since doing video reviews for Bimmerpost and my own youtube channel I've had people come up to me on the street to say hi. I keep joking to my friends that "any day now" I will have my first female fan. This is on the web but it looks like you're it! Thank you!

[Sam@Bimmerpost]

Originally Posted by spd974

I just picked up an F80 M3 6MT for the convenience of 4 doors.

I was on a waiting list for the M2 (#12). Your great review is making me second guess myself!

It's all good. You got the 6MT! The M3 is a fantastic car and a no brainer if you need 4 doors.

[Aust350z]

Having a lot of difficultly working out my new computer background from these pictures.

Thanks for sharing

[Powaup]

Very exciting. Great job can't believe you did the WHOLE review by yourself Sam

[Prodigy.]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

Throttle response?

Originally Posted by Sam@Bimmerpost

Exceptional. A little too sharp on the street with Sport+, but it was perfect on the track. No complaints at all.

Awesome review Sam, thanks so much.

So just to clarify the throttle response was as good in the MDCT as in the manual, no delay at all?
My biggest hate in my 1 series is the poor throttle response with the DCT, your comment has given me hope that it won't be the same in the M2.

Does the exhaust make much noise on the MDCT during upshifts, have heard on some video's quite a 'fart' noise but couldn't hear it so much in your video?

So is the jury still out on the HUD?

[BMWPWR]

Enjoyed that review, thanks for taking the time to share with us all Sam! Now to wait for my M2 to arrive

[RoninX]

Originally Posted by Sam@Bimmerpost

I have not noticed any turbo lag on the street. Not once did I think 'turbo lag'.

I have not driven the C7. However, I can tell you lots about the 981 Cayman. The Cayman feels more buttoned down and has more resilient rear traction. The M2 with its short wheelbase and substantial torque breaks traction much more easily. This contributes to its feelings of friskiness and chassis movement and agility. The Cayman is more composed and has the beautiful turn in and cornering feel of a mid-mounted engine. I love both but I have more fun in the M2. If you're interested in the Cayman, consider watching my Cayman GTS review.

Thanks, that's also a great review. Do you have any thoughts about the upcoming 718?

[brava09]

Originally Posted by Ghetto2315

Give me Sam over that idiot Steve Sutcliffe any day!

Looks like Sam and Steve Sutcliffe have similar opinions about the M4...probably Sutcliffe's review on the M2 would be just as enjoyable as Sam's one.

it's the car

[Charlie Brown]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I haven't seen the HUD projection hardware on the dash anywhere online. I am going to the Chicago auto show tomorrow I will have to look for that.

Did you see an M2 on display at the Chicago Auto Show? If so, did you get some pics? I looked on line searching for vehicles on display at the show and an M2 is not listed.

[Pol]

That's a fantastic review we were waiting for. Thanks !

[WAY]

Hey Sam thanks for the video. It's great to hear that the M2 is more of a fun car compared to the M3/4. I have a F80 and F82 and I've told everyone who cares to listen that those cars are now way too torquey for it to be fun. The lack of linearity always bothered me, and they are just too big! We have a M135i that my other half drives and I actually prefer to drive that car most of the time because I feel like I can exploit the engine more and it's less turbo like in its delivery compared to the M3/4. I noted on Instagram that you have a GT4 coming (you liked the picture of mine yesterday that's how I noticed it lol). As a GT Porsche guy like you I'm very encouraged by your comments on the M2. Can't wait to get mine!

[Verbiage]

I stayed up all night and read them all, and (no bias intended) Sam's review was the best. Way to go brother!

[Robban]

Sam,

Great review and story!
Really impressed how you pulled this off.
Best review yet and very professional.
Thanks!

[Verbiage]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Re your reference to the E46 M3 CSL. The airbox song sung by that car is nothing less than outright glorious (and without Active Sound Design):

My God. There are no sixes on earth like this one.

[termigni]

Originally Posted by ///MIKE M

Totally in love with the F87, but I need to let my E46 go to get one.

Just when I was convinced on the M2, we have to talk about E46s again haha

let me know when you are ready to let go of the E46. I'm in NJ

[julio91]

Excited ???, just hope it leases well ?

[LDSM]

This was a great review! Sam knew his audience and gave us what we all want from a car review. To know how it drives.
Full laps without unnecessary edits or music, and comparisons to other cars, that we all wonder about but will never have the chance of comparing on our own. thanks for the review.


This just makes the decision of m3 vs m2 that much harder. I can live without 4 doors, though they do come in handy. But how much driving fun would I be trading by going for the m3?