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      02-15-2016, 12:40 AM   #1
Trackman
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Another M2 Australian Launch Review (by M235i owner)

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The iconic Mount Panorama race circuit, three hours drive west of Sydney at the township of Bathurst, couldn't have offered better road conditions in which to drive the M2 for the first time.

A 24 hour endurance race had ended just the weekend before and there were plenty of scars on the concrete walls at the top of the undulating and sinewy mountain, placed there to prevent drivers from spearing down the side or into the crowds as they nudge speeds of up to 200km/h. Race drivers liken it to parts of the Nurburgring. Get it wrong and you don't get a second chance.

With this in mind, it was expected that the launch of the M2 would be at a relatively modest pace. Instructors privately talked about it as more of a "drive experience" than a "track experience". It was a time and a place to leave any "track hero" ego behind and leave room to think about the vehicles we were to drive, in my case the M2, M3 and M4 in that order.

There were four vehicles of each type in the fleet and for some the excitement of driving the M2 had to wait to the end of the day. We got to drive each for about five or six laps in rotation with perhaps a 30 minute break between them.

We were given a comprehensive briefing on what distinguished the M2 and other M vehicles, had a formal "reveal" of the car with a black satin sheet pulled off the car to a contrived show of pumping music and flashing strobe lights. First impressions are more favourable in the "flesh" than in photos. The front end is smart, the rear more polarising. The hips are relatively pronounced and I was pleased to see a "stone guard" plastic film on them to reduce or eliminate chipping of the paint.

The interior was pretty much the same as my M235i expect with some cosmetic carbon fibre bits to help create a more race-inspired ambience. They're okay but didn't float my boat. Blue stitching around the seats were similarly cosmetic. Nothing too exciting and different in the cabin, I'm afraid to say.

Sitting in the car in pit lane we received instruction to start our engines. The car was set to Sport, and we were to leave it there and not change any settings. The familiar six cylinder sound noisily erupted, but with more of a burble than the 235i. I had a plan. Drive the first lap with the car self-shifting and then start to drive it with the steering wheel paddles.

I was fortunate to drive directly behind the instructor who set the pace according to the ability of all of those behind him and this was the most advantageous place to be.

Setting out onto the track I was pleased by the apparent urgency of the M2 and the associated exhaust note which created an initial thrill, and then by the clean and rapid gear shifts. Compared with the 235i, yes, it had more go, but not by a large margin. As we headed up the back straight, it held its gear as the instructor moderated his pace and then proceeded to the redline as we picked it up again. The in-cabin sound is awesome and at similar levels to the M3 and M4, but without the raspier and more metallic note of its big brothers.

Into the first corner and the start of the 174 metre (570 foot) rise to the top up an initial one in six incline, my first disappointment was revealed. Instead of decisively and intuitively dropping down through the gears, it held a relatively high gear and used its prodigious torque to pull its way up the mountain, in much the same way that the 235i does. And so it was, all the way up the mountain. Driven this way the chassis was secure and muted, not lively, exciting or remotely challenging to control, the gearbox keeping a lid on proceedings.

Mental note, this car needs to be driven as a manual on a race track if the auto box is chosen.

Across the top of the mountain through ultra-fast sweepers the handling was secure and sure footed, and down the steep and treacherous S-bends leading onto the straight the requirements of the gearbox disappeared into the background and the emphasis turned to the brakes and agility. In a word, the brakes were awesome. If there is one thing I wish for on the 235i, it is better brakes. The M2's had immediate strength - not bite - upon application and seemed progressively reassuring in their power. They worked in harmony with the chassis and everything felt like it was working together.

Coming around to the straight presented an opportunity to experience its speed and acceleration
in a down hill run with a rise at its fastest point which, with enough speed, is enough to put your heart - and stomach - in your throat. The M2 didn't hang around as it chased the lead M4 to its controlled speed limit. The aeros on the car keep it secure up to the approximate 180km/h we were limited to, but I think my M235i with the factory aero kit fitted feels a little more planted at that and higher speeds, but I wouldn't argue the point. Snapping the car into a right bend at that speed was drama free and late braking into the slow and tight left-hander which followed was similarly drama-free. But then, when I went to accelerate out of the corner and though the next which immediately followed to the right, it once again failed to match the right gear for the speed, punting through in a drowsy gear or two too high, relying too much on its torque and not enough on its power.

Happily the car took the race line well and was absolutely secure as it picked up speed under firm acceleration through the bend as we hurtled toward to the final 90 degree corner leading onto the straight. And this is where my next issue arouse.

Frustrated by the gearbox's slothfulness in downshifting (in Sport, remember) I tapped the paddle to drop into second from third under brakes and before turning in. Hello, is there anyone home? I'm still approaching the turn and I want second gear . . . when are you going to change? So, this is another observation of that car, on that day - the gearbox upshifts manually nicely and very smoothly compared with its bigger brothers, but down shifts seem to be something the car decides is appropriate (or not) sometime after you ask for it. For me, this is a serious black mark and frustration, but probably one that can be easily resolved by BMW if that is what it really wants to achieve.

I don't want to go on endlessly. I'll make some of my other observations in summary form:

The car felt much more responsive driven manually with the driver picking the right gear for the conditions rather than relying on the car to determine the best gear, but you have to be patient for it to arrive.

The car, at the modest speeds driven, felt very secure and cornered flatly and without the slightest hint of oversteer or understeer. How it would be when pushed to its dynamic limits, smoothly or clumsily, is impossible to determine on a day like this.

Swapping from the M2 to the M3 and M4, it was clear that the bigger brothers had sharper steering, felt more poised and planted, more dynamically responsive and felt much more "race car". The contrast was stark, but this does not mean the M2 is lacking. The M2 has beautiful poise and balance. The M3/4 feel comparatively raw and less forgiving.

The M2's power is satisfying, not savage. The big brothers once again shone in this department with a great top end surge and more metallic sound down the straight the than baby M.

How the baby M will go under very hard braking from higher speeds than those achieved on the day will be interesting to learn. I found the M3/4 a bit unsettled and floaty under brakes from 200km/h, but I reference that against my Porsche GT3; perhaps an unfair comparison.

At no time did I feel the traction control or ABS intervene on the M2, pointing to terrific grip and cornering poise when driven swiftly and in challenging cornering conditions. The downhill corners at Mount Panorama are in places very steep, very sharp and at times blind, and every one of them was taken absolutely securely with a nicely fluid turn-in. Understeer and oversteer were not even on the radar.

The M2 is a fun track car. I think it will bring out the best in most early to intermediate drivers by delivering smooth, predictable and fluid performance in a very balanced package, and for more advanced drivers I think it has the potential to bring out the larrikan and just satisfy with consistent and predictable performance. It won't be hard or scary to drive fast. Very likely you'll wave to the 235is as you pass them under brakes or exiting the corners.

Whether it is a good road car remains to be seen. The M2 lacks adjustable road and sport damper control settings which the 235i enjoys and which helps to make the 235i a great sporty - but comfortably compliant - road car. It also doesn't have all of the sound-deadening material ripped out, so road noise can be expected to intrude into the M2's cabin. And will it rise above the high performance levels of the rival A45AMG and RS3?

None of these questions could be answered on this beautiful and exciting day at Mount Panorama. This is something we are going to have to wait to read about when the driving pro's report their findings under various test conditions. Once again, I thank BMW for the privilege. It was an awesome experience.

Final note: Porsche Carrera Cup winner and multiple Mt Panorama champion Steve Richards was filmed doing a hot lap in the M2. Keep an eye out for it. It will surface at some time and will show what the M2 really is capable of achieving (on standard road tyres!).
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      02-15-2016, 12:53 AM   #2
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Awesome review, thanks you for that, a bit concerning with regards to the speed, or lack there of, of the downshifts, my 135i is pretty instantaneous when shifting with the paddles.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trackman View Post
The iconic Mount Panorama race circuit, three hours drive west of Sydney at the township of Bathurst, couldn't have offered better road conditions in which to drive the M2 for the first time.

A 24 hour endurance race had ended just the weekend before and there were plenty of scars on the concrete walls at the top of the undulating and sinewy mountain, placed there to prevent drivers from spearing down the side or into the crowds as they nudge speeds of up to 200km/h. Race drivers liken it to parts of the Nurburgring. Get it wrong and you don't get a second chance.

With this in mind, it was expected that the launch of the M2 would be at a relatively modest pace. Instructors privately talked about it as more of a "drive experience" than a "track experience". It was a time and a place to leave any "track hero" ego behind and leave room to think about the vehicles we were to drive, in my case the M2, M3 and M4 in that order.

There were four vehicles of each type in the fleet and for some the excitement of driving the M2 had to wait to the end of the day. We got to drive each for about five or six laps in rotation with perhaps a 30 minute break between them.

We were given a comprehensive briefing on what distinguished the M2 and other M vehicles, had a formal "reveal" of the car with a black satin sheet pulled off the car to a contrived show of pumping music and flashing strobe lights. First impressions are more favourable in the "flesh" than in photos. The front end is smart, the rear more polarising. The hips are relatively pronounced and I was pleased to see a "stone guard" plastic film on them to reduce or eliminate chipping of the paint.

The interior was pretty much the same as my M235i expect with some cosmetic carbon fibre bits to help create a more race-inspired ambience. They're okay but didn't float my boat. Blue stitching around the seats were similarly cosmetic. Nothing too exciting and different in the cabin, I'm afraid to say.

Sitting in the car in pit lane we received instruction to start our engines. The car was set to Sport, and we were to leave it there and not change any settings. The familiar six cylinder sound noisily erupted, but with more of a burble than the 235i. I had a plan. Drive the first lap with the car self-shifting and then start to drive it with the steering wheel paddles.

I was fortunate to drive directly behind the instructor who set the pace according to the ability of all of those behind him and this was the most advantageous place to be.

Setting out onto the track I was pleased by the apparent urgency of the M2 and the associated exhaust note which created an initial thrill, and then by the clean and rapid gear shifts. Compared with the 235i, yes, it had more go, but not by a large margin. As we headed up the back straight, it held its gear as the instructor moderated his pace and then proceeded to the redline as we picked it up again. The in-cabin sound is awesome and at similar levels to the M3 and M4, but without the raspier and more metallic note of its big brothers.

Into the first corner and the start of the 174 metre (570 foot) rise to the top up an initial one in six incline, my first disappointment was revealed. Instead of decisively and intuitively dropping down through the gears, it held a relatively high gear and used its prodigious torque to pull its way up the mountain, in much the same way that the 235i does. And so it was, all the way up the mountain. Driven this way the chassis was secure and muted, not lively, exciting or remotely challenging to control, the gearbox keeping a lid on proceedings.

Mental note, this car needs to be driven as a manual on a race track if the auto box is chosen.

Across the top of the mountain through ultra-fast sweepers the handling was secure and sure footed, and down the steep and treacherous S-bends leading onto the straight the requirements of the gearbox disappeared into the background and the emphasis turned to the brakes and agility. In a word, the brakes were awesome. If there is one thing I wish for on the 235i, it is better brakes. The M2's had immediate strength - not bite - upon application and seemed progressively reassuring in their power. They worked in harmony with the chassis and everything felt like it was working together.

Coming around to the straight presented an opportunity to experience its speed and acceleration
in a down hill run with a rise at its fastest point which, with enough speed, is enough to put your heart - and stomach - in your throat. The M2 didn't hang around as it chased the lead M4 to its controlled speed limit. The aeros on the car keep it secure up to the approximate 180km/h we were limited to, but I think my M235i with the factory aero kit fitted feels a little more planted at that and higher speeds, but I wouldn't argue the point. Snapping the car into a right bend at that speed was drama free and late braking into the slow and tight left-hander which followed was similarly drama-free. But then, when I went to accelerate out of the corner and though the next which immediately followed to the right, it once again failed to match the right gear for the speed, punting through in a drowsy gear or two too high, relying too much on its torque and not enough on its power.

Happily the car took the race line well and was absolutely secure as it picked up speed under firm acceleration through the bend as we hurtled toward to the final 90 degree corner leading onto the straight. And this is where my next issue arouse.

Frustrated by the gearbox's slothfulness in downshifting (in Sport, remember) I tapped the paddle to drop into second from third under brakes and before turning in. Hello, is there anyone home? I'm still approaching the turn and I want second gear . . . when are you going to change? So, this is another observation of that car, on that day - the gearbox upshifts manually nicely and very smoothly compared with its bigger brothers, but down shifts seem to be something the car decides is appropriate (or not) sometime after you ask for it. For me, this is a serious black mark and frustration, but probably one that can be easily resolved by BMW if that is what it really wants to achieve.

I don't want to go on endlessly. I'll make some of my other observations in summary form:

The car felt much more responsive driven manually with the driver picking the right gear for the conditions rather than relying on the car to determine the best gear, but you have to be patient for it to arrive.

The car, at the modest speeds driven, felt very secure and cornered flatly and without the slightest hint of oversteer or understeer. How it would be when pushed to its dynamic limits, smoothly or clumsily, is impossible to determine on a day like this.

Swapping from the M2 to the M3 and M4, it was clear that the bigger brothers had sharper steering, felt more poised and planted, more dynamically responsive and felt much more "race car". The contrast was stark, but this does not mean the M2 is lacking. The M2 has beautiful poise and balance. The M3/4 feel comparatively raw and less forgiving.

The M2's power is satisfying, not savage. The big brothers once again shone in this department with a great top end surge and more metallic sound down the straight the than baby M.

How the baby M will go under very hard braking from higher speeds than those achieved on the day will be interesting to learn. I found the M3/4 a bit unsettled and floaty under brakes from 200km/h, but I reference that against my Porsche GT3; perhaps an unfair comparison.

At no time did I feel the traction control or ABS intervene on the M2, pointing to terrific grip and cornering poise when driven swiftly and in challenging cornering conditions. The downhill corners at Mount Panorama are in places very steep, very sharp and at times blind, and every one of them was taken absolutely securely with a nicely fluid turn-in. Understeer and oversteer were not even on the radar.

The M2 is a fun track car. I think it will bring out the best in most early to intermediate drivers by delivering smooth, predictable and fluid performance in a very balanced package, and for more advanced drivers I think it has the potential to bring out the larrikan and just satisfy with consistent and predictable performance. It won't be hard or scary to drive fast. Very likely you'll wave to the 235is as you pass them under brakes or exiting the corners.

Whether it is a good road car remains to be seen. The M2 lacks adjustable road and sport damper control settings which the 235i enjoys and which helps to make the 235i a great sporty - but comfortably compliant - road car. It also doesn't have all of the sound-deadening material ripped out, so road noise can be expected to intrude into the M2's cabin. And will it rise above the high performance levels of the rival A45AMG and RS3?

None of these questions could be answered on this beautiful and exciting day at Mount Panorama. This is something we are going to have to wait to read about when the driving pro's report their findings under various test conditions. Once again, I thank BMW for the privilege. It was an awesome experience.

Final note: Porsche Carrera Cup winner and multiple Mt Panorama champion Steve Richards was filmed doing a hot lap in the M2. Keep an eye out for it. It will surface at some time and will show what the M2 really is capable of achieving (on standard road tyres!).
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      02-15-2016, 12:57 AM   #3
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great write up. Curious - did you have to sign some type of embargo? Another person from Australia had to take down his review about a few hours after BMW took wind fit.

Back to the review:
interesting about how you think the DCT gearbox is automatic made the mistake of choosing the right gear. I wonder if you would feel different if Sport + was used instead of Sport. (i don't know personally if that makes a diff).

I'm very curious about the manual driving now. Your other comments sound reasonable, i feel like BMW might have a cayman problem if this car does begin to shine even brighter. And I can see BMW just making everything a touch worse than the more expensive (and flashship) car.

BMW took the steering straight from the M3/M4 as well as the gearbox. So your thoughts are very interesting.
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      02-15-2016, 01:17 AM   #4
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M3 more raw than the M2? Wow didn't see that coming being its a DD for me this might be a good thing thanks for the review Trackman ��
Now how about some GT3 footage thanks ��
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      02-15-2016, 01:29 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trackman View Post
The iconic Mount Panorama race circuit, three hours drive west of Sydney at the township of Bathurst, couldn't have offered better road conditions in which to drive the M2 for the first time.

A 24 hour endurance race had ended just the weekend before and there were plenty of scars on the concrete walls at the top of the undulating and sinewy mountain, placed there to prevent drivers from spearing down the side or into the crowds as they nudge speeds of up to 200km/h. Race drivers liken it to parts of the Nurburgring. Get it wrong and you don't get a second chance.

With this in mind, it was expected that the launch of the M2 would be at a relatively modest pace. Instructors privately talked about it as more of a "drive experience" than a "track experience". It was a time and a place to leave any "track hero" ego behind and leave room to think about the vehicles we were to drive, in my case the M2, M3 and M4 in that order.

There were four vehicles of each type in the fleet and for some the excitement of driving the M2 had to wait to the end of the day. We got to drive each for about five or six laps in rotation with perhaps a 30 minute break between them.

We were given a comprehensive briefing on what distinguished the M2 and other M vehicles, had a formal "reveal" of the car with a black satin sheet pulled off the car to a contrived show of pumping music and flashing strobe lights. First impressions are more favourable in the "flesh" than in photos. The front end is smart, the rear more polarising. The hips are relatively pronounced and I was pleased to see a "stone guard" plastic film on them to reduce or eliminate chipping of the paint.

The interior was pretty much the same as my M235i expect with some cosmetic carbon fibre bits to help create a more race-inspired ambience. They're okay but didn't float my boat. Blue stitching around the seats were similarly cosmetic. Nothing too exciting and different in the cabin, I'm afraid to say.

Sitting in the car in pit lane we received instruction to start our engines. The car was set to Sport, and we were to leave it there and not change any settings. The familiar six cylinder sound noisily erupted, but with more of a burble than the 235i. I had a plan. Drive the first lap with the car self-shifting and then start to drive it with the steering wheel paddles.

I was fortunate to drive directly behind the instructor who set the pace according to the ability of all of those behind him and this was the most advantageous place to be.

Setting out onto the track I was pleased by the apparent urgency of the M2 and the associated exhaust note which created an initial thrill, and then by the clean and rapid gear shifts. Compared with the 235i, yes, it had more go, but not by a large margin. As we headed up the back straight, it held its gear as the instructor moderated his pace and then proceeded to the redline as we picked it up again. The in-cabin sound is awesome and at similar levels to the M3 and M4, but without the raspier and more metallic note of its big brothers.

Into the first corner and the start of the 174 metre (570 foot) rise to the top up an initial one in six incline, my first disappointment was revealed. Instead of decisively and intuitively dropping down through the gears, it held a relatively high gear and used its prodigious torque to pull its way up the mountain, in much the same way that the 235i does. And so it was, all the way up the mountain. Driven this way the chassis was secure and muted, not lively, exciting or remotely challenging to control, the gearbox keeping a lid on proceedings.

Mental note, this car needs to be driven as a manual on a race track if the auto box is chosen.

Across the top of the mountain through ultra-fast sweepers the handling was secure and sure footed, and down the steep and treacherous S-bends leading onto the straight the requirements of the gearbox disappeared into the background and the emphasis turned to the brakes and agility. In a word, the brakes were awesome. If there is one thing I wish for on the 235i, it is better brakes. The M2's had immediate strength - not bite - upon application and seemed progressively reassuring in their power. They worked in harmony with the chassis and everything felt like it was working together.

Coming around to the straight presented an opportunity to experience its speed and acceleration
in a down hill run with a rise at its fastest point which, with enough speed, is enough to put your heart - and stomach - in your throat. The M2 didn't hang around as it chased the lead M4 to its controlled speed limit. The aeros on the car keep it secure up to the approximate 180km/h we were limited to, but I think my M235i with the factory aero kit fitted feels a little more planted at that and higher speeds, but I wouldn't argue the point. Snapping the car into a right bend at that speed was drama free and late braking into the slow and tight left-hander which followed was similarly drama-free. But then, when I went to accelerate out of the corner and though the next which immediately followed to the right, it once again failed to match the right gear for the speed, punting through in a drowsy gear or two too high, relying too much on its torque and not enough on its power.

Happily the car took the race line well and was absolutely secure as it picked up speed under firm acceleration through the bend as we hurtled toward to the final 90 degree corner leading onto the straight. And this is where my next issue arouse.

Frustrated by the gearbox's slothfulness in downshifting (in Sport, remember) I tapped the paddle to drop into second from third under brakes and before turning in. Hello, is there anyone home? I'm still approaching the turn and I want second gear . . . when are you going to change? So, this is another observation of that car, on that day - the gearbox upshifts manually nicely and very smoothly compared with its bigger brothers, but down shifts seem to be something the car decides is appropriate (or not) sometime after you ask for it. For me, this is a serious black mark and frustration, but probably one that can be easily resolved by BMW if that is what it really wants to achieve.

I don't want to go on endlessly. I'll make some of my other observations in summary form:

The car felt much more responsive driven manually with the driver picking the right gear for the conditions rather than relying on the car to determine the best gear, but you have to be patient for it to arrive.

The car, at the modest speeds driven, felt very secure and cornered flatly and without the slightest hint of oversteer or understeer. How it would be when pushed to its dynamic limits, smoothly or clumsily, is impossible to determine on a day like this.

Swapping from the M2 to the M3 and M4, it was clear that the bigger brothers had sharper steering, felt more poised and planted, more dynamically responsive and felt much more "race car". The contrast was stark, but this does not mean the M2 is lacking. The M2 has beautiful poise and balance. The M3/4 feel comparatively raw and less forgiving.

The M2's power is satisfying, not savage. The big brothers once again shone in this department with a great top end surge and more metallic sound down the straight the than baby M.

How the baby M will go under very hard braking from higher speeds than those achieved on the day will be interesting to learn. I found the M3/4 a bit unsettled and floaty under brakes from 200km/h, but I reference that against my Porsche GT3; perhaps an unfair comparison.

At no time did I feel the traction control or ABS intervene on the M2, pointing to terrific grip and cornering poise when driven swiftly and in challenging cornering conditions. The downhill corners at Mount Panorama are in places very steep, very sharp and at times blind, and every one of them was taken absolutely securely with a nicely fluid turn-in. Understeer and oversteer were not even on the radar.

The M2 is a fun track car. I think it will bring out the best in most early to intermediate drivers by delivering smooth, predictable and fluid performance in a very balanced package, and for more advanced drivers I think it has the potential to bring out the larrikan and just satisfy with consistent and predictable performance. It won't be hard or scary to drive fast. Very likely you'll wave to the 235is as you pass them under brakes or exiting the corners.

Whether it is a good road car remains to be seen. The M2 lacks adjustable road and sport damper control settings which the 235i enjoys and which helps to make the 235i a great sporty - but comfortably compliant - road car. It also doesn't have all of the sound-deadening material ripped out, so road noise can be expected to intrude into the M2's cabin. And will it rise above the high performance levels of the rival A45AMG and RS3?

None of these questions could be answered on this beautiful and exciting day at Mount Panorama. This is something we are going to have to wait to read about when the driving pro's report their findings under various test conditions. Once again, I thank BMW for the privilege. It was an awesome experience.

Final note: Porsche Carrera Cup winner and multiple Mt Panorama champion Steve Richards was filmed doing a hot lap in the M2. Keep an eye out for it. It will surface at some time and will show what the M2 really is capable of achieving (on standard road tyres!).
Thank you for your impressions.

Why are you faulting the gearbox when there was the ability to use manual mode and select the gear you wanted? Self-shifting on a track doesn't make much sense to me. I could choose any gear I desired and I was always in manual mode. Not that the DCT really bothers me anyway as I've ordered a manual car.

Regarding the braking, did you not go over 200km/h on the back straight? How did you only hit 180? Every car we got in we managed to go over 200km/h on the back straight and we got to put a fair amount of pressure on the brake pedal.

I agree with your sentiments about the M4, but then again, the M4 is 50k more so I kind of expect it to be better. And I drew that conclusion myself.

The M2 is not better than the M4, but the M2 isn't far behind!

Can't wait to read what the professionals say about the M2.
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      02-15-2016, 01:31 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dammitcubs View Post
great write up. Curious - did you have to sign some type of embargo? Another person from Australia had to take down his review about a few hours after BMW took wind fit.

Back to the review:
interesting about how you think the DCT gearbox is automatic made the mistake of choosing the right gear. I wonder if you would feel different if Sport + was used instead of Sport. (i don't know personally if that makes a diff).

I'm very curious about the manual driving now. Your other comments sound reasonable, i feel like BMW might have a cayman problem if this car does begin to shine even brighter. And I can see BMW just making everything a touch worse than the more expensive (and flashship) car.

BMW took the steering straight from the M3/M4 as well as the gearbox. So your thoughts are very interesting.
Steering to me in the M2 felt identical if not a little better because of its slight weight advantage. Everyone has their own impressions though.
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      02-15-2016, 01:35 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Attuale View Post
Thank you for your impressions.

Why are you faulting the gearbox when there was the ability to use manual mode and select the gear you wanted? Self-shifting on a track doesn't make much sense to me. I could choose any gear I desired and I was always in manual mode. Not that the DCT really bothers me anyway as I've ordered a manual car.
How did you find the MDCT? Any delay on downshift?
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      02-15-2016, 01:57 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trackman View Post
...

The aeros on the car keep it secure up to the approximate 180km/h we were limited to, but I think my M235i with the factory aero kit fitted feels a little more planted at that and higher speeds, but I wouldn't argue the point.
...
Thanks for the review

Although I haven't driven either of these cars, I'm really surprised/disappointed by the above statement. I'm looking forward to other reviews comparing these two cars.
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      02-15-2016, 02:03 AM   #9
Romo
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Concerning the DCT;

This is exactly what I meant by the M4 DCT, I don`t like it this way, the Porsche DCT is far more intuitive as I said.

This revies states this once again.
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      02-15-2016, 02:10 AM   #10
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Well, the cure for these issues seem obvious, no?:

1) Mperformance adjustable suspension option;

2) 6MT over the DCT

3) Dinan or similar engine power bump

Voila!!
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      02-15-2016, 02:19 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dammitcubs View Post
great write up. Curious - did you have to sign some type of embargo? Another person from Australia had to take down his review about a few hours after BMW took wind fit.

Back to the review:
interesting about how you think the DCT gearbox is automatic made the mistake of choosing the right gear. I wonder if you would feel different if Sport + was used instead of Sport. (i don't know personally if that makes a diff).
Hi there,

No, I found the embargo thing interesting. I thought there was something in the forum's M2 rules banning this type of feedback, but I found nothing, and BMW Australia were pedantic about not taking photos or videos to the point of placing little stickers over phone lenses, but nothing was said about talking about the day. I also reflected on protests about Attual'e review being taken down and the concept of censoring a public forum. Thus my report.

Yes, I agree that possibly Sport+ will present a different gear shift map, but we weren't permitted to go there . . .Thus my emphasis on the fact that the car was driven in Sport, to avoid any doubt about its setup.
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      02-15-2016, 02:36 AM   #12
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I did try the Sport+ mode off course, and it is incoherent to say the least !

You can not exactly predict what the box is about to do. Sometimes it is fast, yet than again it is acting slow.



Well, this is not my kind a gearbox. (I do compare off course to my previous Cayman GTS PDK)
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      02-15-2016, 02:44 AM   #13
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Thanks for your review Trackman.Useful to have another opinion on this and understandably a different slant which gives us all something to think about.No doubt the official reviews will offer something different again once they're allowed to use all the functionality that the car offers,but perhaps after corporate guideline dictate

Whatever, its all coming out in the wash in the next few days..good or indifferent.
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      02-15-2016, 03:24 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Romo View Post
Concerning the DCT;

This is exactly what I meant by the M4 DCT, I don`t like it this way, the Porsche DCT is far more intuitive as I said.

This revies states this once again.
Romo,
Then I'm going to assume the M2 you ordered is manual? :thumbs: haha

PDK is a different animal.
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      02-15-2016, 03:26 AM   #15
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[QUOTE=Trackman;19393146]
Quote:
Originally Posted by dammitcubs View Post
great write up. Curious - did you have to sign some type of embargo? Another person from Australia had to take down his review about a few hours after BMW took wind fit.

Back to the review:
interesting about how you think the DCT gearbox is automatic made the mistake of choosing the right gear. I wonder if you would feel different if Sport + was used instead of Sport. (i don't know personally if that makes a diff).

Hi there,

No, I found the embargo thing interesting. I thought there was something in the forum's M2 rules banning this type of feedback, but I found nothing, and BMW Australia were pedantic about not taking photos or videos to the point of placing little stickers over phone lenses, but nothing was said about talking about the day. I also reflected on protests about Attual'e review being taken down and the concept of censoring a public forum. Thus my report.

Yes, I agree that possibly Sport+ will present a different gear shift map, but we weren't permitted to go there . . .Thus my emphasis on the fact that the car was driven in Sport, to avoid any doubt about its setup.
Thanks for the response - I think everyone on the boards can agree with one thing.

WE ARE SO JEALOUS!!!!
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      02-15-2016, 03:41 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dammitcubs View Post
Romo,
Then I'm going to assume the M2 you ordered is manual? :thumbs: haha

PDK is a different animal.


Yes on 6MT

Yes on PDK being a different animal
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      02-15-2016, 03:56 AM   #17
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Thanks for the review. Still I cant understand the downshifts being slow. The m4 dct i testdrove was fine...

I'm a bit of a different driver than romo and the reviewer i guess. The way the reviewer mentioned the 'balance' thing and thinking (...) the m2 can be great in the hands of advanced drivers is telling me something : I have to wait for more in depth:realistic reviews of guys like Chris Harris who are capable of driving fast, and analyzing that, putting that on paper.
But thanks anyway for the review

Cheers
Robin
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      02-15-2016, 05:13 AM   #18
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Thanks for the review, wish I had been able to go to Bathurst last week. One comment from someone who has owned 6 M-DCT's, including two F80 and one F82 which shares the gearbox with M2. The reason why the gearbox didn't downshift when you selected it is because it was probably at too high a speed, hence shifting down would have caused a "money shift". You will find that were you slower, it would have shifted instantly. And yes, Porsche PDK and PDK-S are better, but i still prefer my GT Porsches in manual hence why I got the GT4 and love my old GT3s but would never buy a PDK GT3!
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      02-15-2016, 05:25 AM   #19
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Thanks for your thoughts Way, but I'm not that silly or green. The downshift was being requested well within an acceptable rev range, and then some. We can imagine all sorts of reasons for it, but my view is that is that it is programmed to behave this way by BMW's engineers. And I agree, I haven't driven a better or more intuitive automated manual than Porsche's. If only they were all that good!
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      02-15-2016, 05:42 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trackman View Post
Thanks for your thoughts Way, but I'm not that silly or green. The downshift was being requested well within an acceptable rev range, and then some. We can imagine all sorts of reasons for it, but my view is that is that it is programmed to behave this way by BMW's engineers. And I agree, I haven't driven a better or more intuitive automated manual than Porsche's. If only they were all that good!

That is my opinion as well, the character of DCT is different because the software is.

I will not say DCT is a bad gearbox compared to PDK, no, it is just different.

Do I like it? No I do not!!

The shift character, the inuitive PDK is more to my liking.


Just pick your poison...........
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      02-15-2016, 06:15 AM   #21
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eh, I'm not a huge fan of these types of "strict" review sessions where they lock you into one mode and don't let you open it up 100%. They should have just given you guys cars and said go at it however you want on the track.
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      02-15-2016, 06:21 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Prodigy 72 View Post
How did you find the MDCT? Any delay on downshift?
Didn't notice any to be honest.
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