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This is the brand new BMW 2 competition.
Given that it only costs about 3,000 pounds more than a standard M2.
And given that the competition packs they've added to M4 and M5 in the past really amounted to a great deal.
Is this really much to get hung up about?
Well yes
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For start the M2 competition it looks subtly but crucially just a little bit different .for starters it's got these lovely traditional end mirrors with two spurs but they've slightly broken one just at the top.
Then we have the more gaping front complete with twin spars on the kidney grill and, of course, some lovely light-weight alloy wheels, the 778M style, should you be wondering.
We've also got some black badges and nice black finishes to the quad exhaust.
In here, we're having in steering wheel and these lovely M seats.
On the steering wheel, we've got M1 and M2 buttons.
Just for clarification, that doesn't [UNKNOWN] an M2 and a 1970s mid-engine supercar.
Well, it's a shame really.
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But what really makes this car special The mechanicals.
And I'm going to split those into two parts, the engine and the chassis.
[INAUDIBLE] the handling, suspension, chassis, handling, you know what I mean.
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[SOUND] Under the bonnet, Gorma is the N55 engine, which can be traced all the way back to the M135IN.
It's a proper M engine.
The S55, in the current generation M4 and M3.
Granted, it's been detuned from that spec, but In this bracket, it's about 10% up in terms of the break horse power and torque compared to the engine in the regular M2.
Taking outputs to 404 break horse power and 406 pounds for the torque.
We've also now got two turbo charges instead of just the one.
That engine System low down.
Angry out the top.
It is actually in better world.
You got to have real resolve to use all the raod.
On the road, on paper, in the bar, hands on track, you'll appreciate having a proper [INAUDIBLE] and engine, the rest of the time, no, I think the old N55 was pretty good in its own ride I don't know, I think it actually sounded a little better.
This sounds, sort of sounds impressive the same way that you look up when a jet fighter goes past.
But you don't long to hear it again like you do the musical murmur of a spitfire.
The engine, then, is good, without being great.
I certainly didn't dislike it, and it's undeniably effective, but it didn't quite wow me the way I'd hoped.
Feeling a touch muted, a bit like it's being held back as though a freer exhaust and [UNKNOWN] could uncork a whole load more character and fizz.
And having driven an M3 CS i know that fuse is in there.
Perhaps someone someone was afraid that the two could have made things rather uncomfortable, for three and four if it was let completely off the listener.
Cayman would have liked to act before 911 were through.
You can of course get this with a manual box.
The seven speed is very good, but needless to say that six speed with an extra pedal would be my preferred option.
For that added layer of interactivity.
Saves you money, too.
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Under the bonnet, we've got that beautiful carbon-brace and we've also got some bracing across the rear bulkhead.
We've also got new settings for the M differential shot, and the ESP.
All spring and damper breaks have also changed, and we've got rose jointing in the rear suspension.
What's that all add up to?
Well, just a more sophisticated feeling car, one that doesn't feel like it doesn't bounce you off the road like the original M2 did.
Granted, when they did the updates the M2, the last one I drove.
That was better but this is another step on.
Again, as soon as you get into this car you can just feel the way even at low speed it rolls onto that rear suspension so much more smoothly.
It sits in the travel much more nicely, and then when you get out to a road like this over big bumps where previously it felt like it just wanted to pogo you off the road.
Now we can really attack the road.
A road like this, where the smaller M2 should feel at home compared to the M4.
Now it really does, you can actually really enjoy it.
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Importantly this is also Passive dumpers rather than the Adoptive ones.
I think that makes the real difference because whenever you are in the car, whatever the situation you are in, You get to know the car, and you get to feel exactly how it's gonna deal with any sort of situation.
So you just, you understand the car intrinsically that much better.
Write it all over this car.
You just feel it's more progressive.
Again, it sits into that rear suspension, and with the changes to the differential, it's more progressive, so you can enjoy that rear-wheel drive All the more.
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Ultimately, in the competition, the M2 feels as though it has come of age.
And given that it only costs a bit more than the standard M2 that it replaces, it seems like a bargain.
The engine might've stormed the headlines when it was announced, but it's actually the suspension and chassis tweaks that are the star of the show once you're behind the wheel.
The changes mean that this is now a proper M car.
With a more sorted and sophisticated feel.
The big arch look is mirrored in the way it drives, with a layer of accessibility and checkability which is really, really engaging.
Now, how about I say a saloon GTS version.
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