[Hiigaran]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

(Warning, tons of grammar mistakes ahead, plz ignore 'em)
(Pictures problem fixed, plz enjoy)
(If you can read chinese, here is the original version:
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5...echat_redirect)

Last week was fill with fun and heartwarming, because we were accompanied by two little monsters.

We are BMWsky, the BMW car club of China. From 18th –to 26th Mar, we received two brand new, VIN number connected, straight roll out of Leizpig M2.

During the week, we drove M2 to work, running on highway in pouring raining, test them on the track, and made comparison with M4.

If you want to know what kind of car M2 really is, please, sit back and read.

















Is M2 a boosted up M235i?

Before M2, M235i was the best small car that BMW ever made.

It’s powerful, it’s fast, throttle response was great and it looks really good.

Yet the news that bmw is going to make a Small M car, makes the M235i owners so conflicted:
Do I need to buy a new M2 to replace my newly bought M235i?

But as soon as M2 engine info released, they were relieved: It’s a boosted up N55, I can modify my M235i to make a M2!



Is it?

Boosted up the N55 and you can get a M2?

We invited a F82 M4 owner of BMWsky M-club, and let’s find out!







Just watch how M235i owners’ dream got crushed: BMW just put M4’s bones on M2.

Sub-frame, suspension, M DCT, M differential, all the same! Also the wheels and brake kit is from M4.






The shock absorbers are different, M4’s are adjustable, M2’s are not.




So, is it so easy for M Gmbh?

Put M4’s chassis on 2 series body, and boosted up a N55 to make a brand new hot selling car?

The following nice and pretty and stiff carbon fiber components of the M4 are missing on the M2:

CF prop-shaft, CF roof, CF boot lid, CF strut brace.
Also missing: S55 engine’s huge cooling system.

But the M2 engine has wide torque range than M4: 1400-5560, 1850-5500.

And the M4 intake duct is slightly longer due to the complex cooling system.

During our test drive, M4 takes a tiny little gap between pedal down and unleash her tremendous torque and horsepower,

and M2 needs none, as far as 0-100 km/h acceleration,
M2 feels just as quick as M4.

Yes, the boosted up N55 has faster response than the M Power S55.

It’s "Less is More". And this rule also applies on the S55 cooling system.



The S55’s cooling system is one of the main reasons that crush the V8 S65.
You can drive the F8x around tracks many many times without over-heating.
But the cooling block is on the TOP of the engine, and it’s heavy, obviously.
And M2’s N55 don’t have it, makes M2 steering feeling nimbler and tighter.

I know, M4 is the best among its class.
But when we drove M4 immediately after driving M2,
we can feel some hesitation during turning, as if the head of the car is wrestling with your hands.
We guess that the CF strut brace is really necessary on F8x,
otherwise it would feels slower when cornering a F8X.



The F8Xs are really spoiled by M Gmbh,
you can have CF prop-shaft, CF roof, CF strut brace on a $60000 car!
And a CF boot lid if you prefer the two-door beauty.

Again, “Less is More”.

The S55 is heavier, and we have lighter prop-shaft/roof/boot lid in the center and tail, see? Not so balanced during driving.

M2’s N55 is lighter, and heavier prop-shaft/roof/boot lid, resulted in: more balanced body! And due to the smaller size, M2 is still lighter!



So which is more important for you?

Better cooling and more powerrrrr and stiffer body?
Or faster response and nimbler body?

You can’t have both, just choose!

So that concluded our test?

Nein, M2’s personality is so different from M4, too.



M4 has so many adjustable drive modes and options that will takes a long time to tune,
M2 has only three simple drive modes and itÂ’s so easy for you to choose according your mood blah blah blah.
Okay we will spare you the BS, you can see it all in pics.





But the DSC setting, that will take some real driving to find out, let us show you.

Pedal down hard on a low-traction road(wet or dusty), the M4 won’t give you much response.
You can only feel some vibrations from the back, and the DSC light flashing on the dash.
M4’s DSC will kill all useless wheel spins before you even sense it, it’s so self-restraint.



But M2 is a total different animal,
it shakes around all the time when you put down your right foot.
Changing lane, foot down, tail shaking, and please turn the steering wheel back and forth, as if you are driving kart, or racing car.
With the shaky tail and squeaking tires, let’s scare other drivers shit-less!

(I actually did it, on open road, in Shenzhen China,
rush between two taxis when turning left, with 1/2 gas pedal, M2 just shakes its tail and I have to lift my right foot,
it’s scary and …..FUN TO DRIVE!!!
DO NOT tell me that you are not going to have fun on open road with M cars! )



It actually feels like the great E46 M3:
on rainy day, pedal down on the road, E46M3 would shakes tail and move forward.
The M2 has a lot more torque, you can shake it on dry road.
Please don’t turn off DSC during daily driving,
it’s lot more safer with Sport and Sport+ mode, and still fun to drive.



Please don’t ever compare M2 with so-called “rivals” AMG whatever A45 or CLA45.
Those cars are for show only, and AMG actually put their engineers’ name on the engine cover, really?
Handcrafted by who knows who, and you get the torque range from 2250-5000?
While M2’s “mass-produced” N55 engine has what? 1400-5560!

M Gmbh just slap hard on the face of MB and AMG!

“Let us show you, how to make a real engine.”

(Btw, I knew AMG45 has 2.0T engine, no way it could ever compare to L6 3.0T.
but AMG just installed one massive turbo to make pretty figures, ignoring any turbo lag it might have and durability.
during a comparison run in Beijing China, a A45 AMG’s turbo just failed after a few laps.
I don’t have the videos, but it’s true.
You can also check the gear ratio of AMG45’s gearbox, then you will find out how much work that AMG engineers have done to only make pretty figures. )

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And the chassis, oh my, just watch it,
we are not trying to deliberately insult or hurt AMG owners,
but just watch it ,what your money has really bought,
that “Handcrafted” sign and AMG logo worth A LOT OF money ,really.

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These 2 little monsters also give over 100 bimmers a exciting slalom contest, held in Shenzhen, China.

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More details comparison:

















the M2 logo is smaller than the M4 logo





M2 has factory installed spoiler, M4 has the M3 CSL curve.







air venting fenders of M4, and non venting fenders of M2




Rear view mirrors, M vs normal







better looking seats of M4, more practical seates of M2









Open weave CF trims of M2





Normal high gloss CF trim of M4, much better



Same rims and same brake kit





M2's doors alcantara feels really nice, and the door holding space is better designed than M4



M4's high gloss black trims are looking good



Same steering wheel, M2's missing M1/M2 buttons





Interior view





So, place your order yet? M2, or M4?

[DS_BMW]

Awesomeness!! Thanks for taking the time posting this! Great pictures!!

[SW19]

Thanks for the great review,detailing the differences of the two cars.Your comparison pics of the M2 and M4 are fantastic.The exterior design of the M2 looks way better than the M4.I am even more excited to take delivery of my M2,after reading your review.

[Prodigy.]

Thank you for posting, loved all the comparison pictures.

[pruettfan]

Great job! I really appreciate your passion and the work it took to do this. I can't get enough. Makes the wait for my car more unbearable but that is the case regardless I suppose.

[Ex-MINI]

Thanks very much for posting this...awesome read! Makes my wait for my car even more painful!

One thing I disagree about is the M2's open weave carbon trim....I think its fantastic...much more unique compared to the standard glossy finishes

[atxsk8r]

Originally Posted by Ex-MINI

One thing I disagree about is the M2's open weave carbon trim....I think its fantastic...much more unique compared to the standard glossy finishes

+1

M2 CF trim to me is way better, glossy trim always looks lame and ghetto to me.

Video of the M4 exhaust sounds horrible but we already knew M2 sounds better

And the rolling punch against the CLA lol no contest

[atxsk8r]

Posting exterior pics for easy viewing.

[Nine Lives]

This is an excellent read Hiigaran !! Very well observed.

More of the same required,apply within

[confusion]

The M2 and M3 are so much better looking than the M4.

[BimmerSpain]

The M2 in shakir orange will be...

Amazing!!

[Nine Lives]

Originally Posted by BimmerSpain

The M2 in shakir orange WOULD be...

Amazing!!

[twboy1999]

i must admit
m4 is the better looking car
oh well

[filet.M2c]

Originally Posted by twboy1999

i must admit
m4 is the better looking car
oh well

I have to disagree. Especially from this angle the M4 looks way too long in the rear. Definitely prefer the M2 proportions.

[gtr]

Nice pics. Looks like the M2 rides higher which I like since my old F80 was way too low as a daily driver.

[Makman]

The m4 sounds terribly bad. But that M2 sound tho....it sounds soo freaaakin GOOD.

[TunedM2C]

Great in-depth comparison!

[Bluenose-2er]

Originally Posted by synergist

I have to disagree. Especially from this angle the M4 looks way too long in the rear. Definitely prefer the M2 proportions.

Depends what you like... I think the M4 looks "sleeker", but agree it is getting long and I like the more balanced proportions of the M2. But I could easily see someone that likes sleek over sportiness going for the M4. I do think the M4 is sexy as hell.

[twboy1999]

m2 proportion is weird at the back
the back is just too short compare to the front

[filet.M2c]

Originally Posted by twboy1999

m2 proportion is weird at the back
the back is just too short compare to the front

It looks very similar to the profile of the e46 M3 which was a perfectly dimensioned car IMO.... so unless you also think that looks weird?

[Ex-MINI]

Stylistically one thing from the M4 that I would like on the M2 are the functional vents on the front fenders...looks great on the M4.

[wjones14]

Thanks for the sound clips. Can't believe how much better the M2 sounds. It's not even close.