Time was that every new BMW M-car was an instant classic, but these days that isn’t the case.
We live in a world of increasing weight and technology, and not even the Ultimate Driving Machine has proved immune to some digital dilution.
Not so the spectacular M2 Competition, which signals a true return to form for BMW’s Motorsport Division.
To be fair, the M2 was already pretty decent, but while other makers opt for ever smaller powerplants for their performance icons in the pursuit of efficiency, BMW has decided to slot the M3/4’s twin-turbo straight-six into the dinky 2-Series coupé.
It’s a timely reminder that engines used to sound great, before someone decided that piping fake engine noise into the cabin was an acceptable alternative.
The M2’s ‘six’ has an incredible vocal range, from the gurgling baritone as it lugs from low revs to an addictive howl towards the start of the 7500rpm redline, always overlaid by puffs and whistles from the twin turbochargers.
In a landscape of technically baffling yet increasingly anodyne performance cars, the M2 feels pleasingly analogue: it’s got a proper handbrake, no ‘active’ dampers and can even be had with a manual ’box.
