Used 2017 BMW M2

The 2017 BMW M2 is a turbocharged, track-ready high-performance luxury coupe and the most potent version of the rear-wheel-drive 2 Series. It’s also the latest vehicle engineered for speed by the German luxury brand’s legendary M performance division. This compact, 4-seater is wider, more powerful, faster than its 2 Series’ siblings. And with a starting price of over $52,000, it’s more expensive too. Perhaps BMW’s purest modern-day sports car, the new M2 is more fun to drive aggressively than its German rivals, the Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 and Audi S3, yet it’s still enjoyable as a daily driver. The new BMW M2 is powered by a 3.0-liter inline-6 that makes a robust 365 horsepower. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard. Zero-to-60 mph takes just 4.2 seconds.

BMW’s new 2017 M2 is a blast. Off the track, where most will reside, BMW’s little beast is extremely pleasant. The cabin is impressively quiet when not at full throttle, and the driver’s seat adeptly hugs your body. Most impressive is how civilized the M2 is on the highway given its immense capabilities on the track. The BMW M2 is one of the great high-performance coupes of our time. This is truly a sports car with a dual nature, and it’s easy to love both personalities. Around town its turbocharged powerband is broad and wide, with a reservoir of grunt, and the standard 6-speed manual transmission remains stellar and is the one we recommend. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic is available but, as with the M3 and M4, it’s not as refined as the automatics offered by Audi or even Cadillac’s V-Series performance cars. On the track, however, the 7-speed shines.

Like the standard 2 Series coupe, the 2017 BMW M2 has 4-passenger seating, with the rear seats best used for very small people or as extra storage space. The bucket seats in front are highly supportive and up to the task of keeping you in place during spirited driving. Materials are high quality, and the interior’s fit-and-finish is impressive. Above the center dash sits a high-res color screen that displays navigation, audio and other info. BMW’s familiar iDrive rotary dial below the gearshift controls the on-screen action, and now features integration with a GoPro app for recording your drives.

This is a tough-looking little car. And only the thick will confuse it for a standard 2 Series. Although the two share the same wheelbase, the M2 is wider, slightly longer and it is meaner-looking with unique front and rear fascias that express this coupe’s extra muscle. From behind, an M2 can be positively identified with its Kardashianesque hips and its M3-style pair of dual tailpipes. It’s a beautiful little monster, and better proportioned than the M version of the old 1 Series. Standard-issue wheels are 19 inches, wrapped in performance tires. Power-folding mirrors are also a nice touch.

LAUNCH CONTROL
The new M2 is actually quicker when equipped with the available 7-speed dual-clutch automatic thanks to its integrated Launch Control. The system ensures the best possible acceleration off the line in all conditions, and once under way, its upshifts are timed and performed at the optimal revs.

M LAPTIMER APP
This app developed by BMW records the M2’s speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, rpm, gear, steering angle, accelerator position and fuel consumption. Drivers can analyze their inputs corner by corner, as well as compare their laps with other drivers. They can also easily share the data by e-mail or Facebook.

As we’ve mentioned, the M2 comes well-equipped out the door and loaded with performance hardware, too, such as an active differential, larger brakes, performance suspension, and huge but lightweight 19-inch wheels and very sticky high-performance Michelin tires. Standard goods include black leather interior with 14-way-power heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, dynamic cruise control, 12-speaker harman/kardon audio system with AM/FM/CD/HD Radio, Bluetooth connectivity and USB input, and navigation. Launch control is also standard as is electric-assisted power steering. New BMWs include the Ultimate Service, which for 2017 models has been reduced to three years/36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.

Aside from an automatic transmission, most options available for the 2017 BMW M2 are bundled into the $1,250 Executive Package. That includes rearview camera with rear parking assist, heated steering wheel, lane-departure warning and frontal-collision warning with pedestrian detection. For 2017 the package has been expanded to also include wireless charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Also available are safety systems including Collision Warning and Pedestrian Warning, as well as Lane Departure Warning. The system warns the driver of potential collisions and will brake the car automatically. Other bits such as carbon-fiber mirror caps and black kidney grilles are also available.

The 2017 BMW M2 is powered by an all-aluminum turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that has direct injection and variable camshaft timing and variable valve lift control to make a robust 365 horsepower. Torque output is rich at 343 lb-ft, and an overboost function allows it to briefly increase that twist to 369 lb-ft. These figures allow the M2 to hit the 0-60-mph benchmark in as little at 4.2 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. All M2s are rear-wheel drive. A 6-speed manual is the standard transmission (and our recommendation), and a 7-speed twin-clutch automatic is optional. An automatic engine start/stop system cuts power at stoplights to save fuel, but can be defeated if you find the start-ups too abrupt.

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6
365 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
343 lb-ft of torque @ 1,400-5,560 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/26 mpg (manual), 20/27 mpg (automatic)

Note: Due to changes in EPA testing to more effectively reflect real-world conditions, some 2017 models show slightly lower fuel-economy scores than their 2016 versions.