BMW M2 Competition

M2 gets M3 engine. Is a total revelation.

- Dylan Campbell

IF YOU’VE not been properly excited about an M car since the pugnacious 1M, we don’t entirely blame you – they’ve all been existing somewhat in the long shadows cast by cars like the atmo V8-powered E92 M3, howling straight-six E46 M3, right back to E39 V8 M5 and beyond. It seemed M Division’s golden era was one in the past. However, time to get excited again – the new M2 Competition is utterly, surprisingly brilliant.

Effectively replacing the ‘base’ M2 in the range – the N55 hasn’t survived the new WLTP fuel economy regulations – the Competition is not a new variant, it is the new M2. There’s an even greater quantity of parts from its bigger brother M3/M4. The single twin-scroll turbo N55, supposedly nearing its limit for output and efficiency (it has been around for nearly 10 years after all) is out, replaced with the twin-turbo 3.0-litre S55 from M3/M4, slightly detuned to 302kW/550Nm (compared to the 317kW/550Nm of the very first F80/F82 M3/M4s). This represents a 30kW/85Nm increase over the outgoing ‘base’ M2; claimed 0-100km/h time improves, in the case of the DCT anyway, by ‘just’ 0.1sec, 4.3 to 4.2.