The new BMW M2 is a handful and that’s exactly why we love it.
The previous M2 was the best-selling M car of all time, and for good reason. It was a pure driving machine, with a rear-wheel drive layout and a six-cylinder engine that loved to rev. The new M2 is more of the same, but with a few key improvements.
The biggest change is visual – the new front end which features a larger, frameless grille. This might not be to everyone’s taste, but it does give the M2 a more aggressive look. The headlights are also new, now single-unit items. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the curb presence on display here.
The interior feels super contemporary, a big improvement over the previous model. The dashboard is now dominated by a curved 12.3-inch display, and there’s a 14.9-inch control display ahead of the driver. The seats are also new, and more supportive than ever. But you only want to know about the oily bits, hey?
Under the hood, the M2 gets a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine that produces 338kW and 550Nm of twist. This is enough grunt to shunt the M2 from 0 to 100kph in just 4.1 seconds. Same as the Toyota Supra we recently tested, which has a similar powertrain. Scandalous.
The M2 is available with either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic transmission. The manual is the obvious choice for driving enthusiasts, but the automatic is a great option if don’t mind sharing the fun with the M2’s big computer brain.
Just like its predecessor then, the 2023 M2’s handling is where it really shines. The car is incredibly agile, and it loves to be thrown deep into corners. The steering is sharp and precise, and the brakes are similarly fierce. As a result, the new BMW M2 is an absolute hooligan, engaging and lairy with a soundtrack that will excite its pilot. After around 200km of pristine Western Cape asphalt, we came away enthralled and impressed. But we always were going to.