Uphill Tackle

Spot the New M2 Competition and the C43 Coupe at a Standstill Together. Where’s Your Money Go?

- Raunak Ajinkya

A big disadvantage to speed is that it’s cripplingly addictive. And as we grow into a bigger and better market, the choices we’re afforded with are only fuelling that lust for blurring your surroundings. The past few months leading up to this day have been heady, to say the least. Countless searches on the internet, and numerous videos later, I couldn’t believe my ears when I’d heard it was finally going to be a reality.

The BMW M2 Competition, for those not in the know, is one of the special ones. What makes it delightfully addictive is the fact that BMW’s shoehorned the 3.0-litre straight six into it from the M3. In my books, it’s already off to a terrific start. I’ll chuck in a few numbers right away to give you a better sense of things: 404 bhp and a ludicrous 56 kgm sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch auto. Keep in mind that the M2 Competition is tiny and that it weighs a smidge above 1.5 tonnes, and you can understand why I was waiting for this day to materialise for months now. Everything about the M2 Competition screams that it’s raring to go, and I’ll try my utmost to detail that as much as I can here.

Before I elaborate, though, I’ve lined up another cracker to bring in a bit of perspective. The maroon side of the pages belongs to the new Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe, which is a car that’s looking to keep the M2 Competition well and truly in check. It’s not got as dramatic a set of tools as the BMW, but it will more than do for most. Helping it move along is a 3.0-litre V6, so what you get is 385 bhp (which is up from the pre-facelift model’s 362 bhp) and a very respectable 53 kgm. There’s not much in it between the two, but the M2 does hold the advantage in terms of outright grunt.