AMG AND BMW M HAVE been taking shots at each other for decades, trading blows and more-powerful punches on each other up and down the product lines. So much so that the M development team stopped looking at what AMG was doing some time ago and instead turned to see what Porsche was up to, to determine what it had to do better to get the upper hand over its Affalterbach rivals.
It's a strategy that has seen M2s, 3s, 4s and 5s pull away from their A, C and E counterparts and continue to lord it over their rivals. Back-to-back eCoty wins with the M2 CS and M5 CS cemented M's return to form, although the M4 CSL dropped that ball before it was scooped up again by the M3 CS. BMW will be hoping for no further mishaps with the new hybrid-powered M5 later this year.
This match-up should be a foregone conclusion, then £67,030 M2 against the latest £63,285 A45 S. Rear-drive, straight-six engine, six-speed manual gearbox and the precision of an M differential against an eight-speed DCT, four-wheel-drive, highly strung four-cylinder hyperhatch with an aero kit to embarrass a Touring Car driver.
What the M2 lacks in technical armoury it makes up for by being little more than a cut-and-shut M4; it's the same width as its big brother at 1.8 metres, is only 21cm shorter overall and is taller by a hair's breadth. Which also explains why it weighs 1700kg.
And it feels as big as it looks. The optional carbon bucket seats swallow you whole, the window line rises up above your shoulder, the double-screen display fills your lower eyeline and even ardent BMW fans who enjoy sitting as close as possible to the floor might find the M2's seating position a little low. You're always conscious of your road position, too, making small adjustments to keep its Pilot 4 Ss between the white lines and away from the inevitable potholes.
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BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
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