- The BMW M2 Competition is a two-door rocket that replaces the M2, which was already a fantastic sport coupé.
- The M2 was $54,500, well-equipped. The M2 Competition starts at about $59,000, but my test car tipped the cost scales at $67,045.
- The BMW M2 has an impressive 405-horsepower inline six-cylinder engine under the hood.
BMW's M Sport division doesn't disappoint. But in the past — with the lineup starting at the M3, moving on to the M4, through the M5 with some the muscular X6 M crossover and convertible trims thrown in — the entire M family had gotten kind of large, size-wise, leaving room for a smaller ride that evoked Bimmers of old.
Enthusiasts craved such a car, and with the M2, they got it (actually, with the M235i, they already something worth considering, but it lacked proper M Sport power). I was blown away by the M2 when I drove the machine.
"For the true believers, this is going to be the perfect car," I wrote in my review. "It is completely optimized for thrills behind the wheel. And yet it is far from useless for quick runs to the grocery store (I picked up a case of wine, and there was plenty of room in the trunk) or fetching the kids from school."
BMW has phased out the M2 and replaced it with the M2 Competition. The M2 Competition costs more, but it brings more M to the party. I knew it was going to be good, probably very, very good. But would it be worth the extra scratch? Read on to find out.
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I wouldn't call cold, snowy conditions in suburban New Jersey ideal for a 405-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive sport coupé. But on the plus side — winter tires!
Fortunately, I did most of my testing before the snow hit. The paint job was a fetching "Hockenheim Silver Metallic," and it was $550 extra (the base price was $59,000).
I had already enjoyed the M2, saying that it "struck a tuning fork deep in my automotive psyche." The M2 Competition takes its place.
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