Manual Missile

Compact dimensions, twin-turbo straight-six, manual transmission, and rear-wheel-drive. This is not a wish list; this is what the second-generation BMW M2 comes equipped with

- Joshua Varghese

THERE IS A CERTAIN purity to going fast and the formula for such a car has been around for ages. BMW's M division is among the best at distilling it into usable sports cars and, with the latest M2, it has tried to offer a balance between the things that make our hearts flutter while driving and the features that we cannot do without while driving a car every day. We made our acquaintance with this quaint little sports car on a curvy road on a beautiful sunny day to bring you the following review.

The first of the holy sports car formulas is evident with the new M2's racy Toronto Red colour and dimensions. It is 4,580 millimetres long, 1,887 mm wide, and 1,403 mm tall-just enough car. The bonnet appears to be the longest element in this two-door shape and the roof-line drops away smoothly into a tight, yet well-defined rear. The M2 gets a frame-less kidney grille, aero-optimized bumper, and new headlights which may grow on you eventually. The rear, on the other hand, has been reworked more tastefully with a compact diffuser and a quartet of exhaust pipes. While appreciating all this, it is easy to overlook the 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch ones at the rear. The M2 we drove was equipped with the optional carbon-fibre roof which shaves off six kilograms and further lowers the centre of gravity.

 

Two doors are all you get to access the M2's cabin and they are frameless, which adds to the premium sports car experience. One does not simply sink into the latest M seats; one fits into them like a Lego piece. They are among the best in business because, going by my own experience, their contours and bolsters locked me firmly, holding me in place while the car went round corners with brutal intent. Yet, they were equally comfortable while cruising along in Comfort mode.