Take a walk down pit lane of any track, and you’re sure to find an E46 BMW M3 with a 6-speed manual. The car is known for its track performance, balance, and consistency in race conditions. Some may argue that it is the last true M car that provided direct steering and throttle input to give you valuable feedback that led to one of the most rewarding driving experiences you can have. With a smooth rev happy inline-6 motor, it was an ideal daily driver for any car enthusiast.

After two generations of M vehicles, the M3 has not only gained another name (M4), it has also gained weight and grew in just about every dimension. The focus of the vehicles has also changed, leaning more towards the Grand Touring class of European performance cars, rather than on track performance. While the new generation M3/M4 are great cars in their own right, providing better drivability, they are simply not as playful as the E46. BMW seems to have understood this, debuting the new BMW M2, the successor to the BMW 1M.

The M2 is very similar in size to the E46 and the rear loves to let loose and let you control it with throttle input. As you can see, laps around Laguna Seca are a blast in the M2.

Even with the twin turbos, the power delivery is linear and the exhaust still roars.

“You can drive this car neat and tidy, or fast and loose” – Sam – BimmerPost

The M2 is a true enthusiast car. It’s not nearly as refined as the M3/M4 but it is much more rewarding to wring the most out of this car. We look forward to seeing and driving the M2 for ourselves.