It's actually not bad. I like it. I like the new BMW look even more.

-latest Road & Track article about the M2.

Pros: Excellent Handling

Cons: M2 Design is less cohesive than the previous M2.


What is new with the M2 interior:

That giant curved display is what you’ll be staring at most, as it contains both the digital gauge cluster and the infotainment touchscreen.


Verdict from Road & Track: For the past seven years the M2 has been M’s most enjoyable car. And this 2023 model is even better.

-from the article:

BMW says the six-speed manual is a total carryover, all the way from the gearing right down to the shifter linkage. I’d swear the shifter’s throw is slightly shorter and clickier than in the M3’s, but that could come down to the knob’s placement on the dash or my seating position. It could also be my mind playing tricks on me. Either way, it feels like BMW paid more attention to the inputs here. There’s standard auto rev-matching, though unlike the first M2, where you needed to turn off traction control to switch off rev-matching, it can now be switched off independently within the iDrive infotainment system

-info. about the electronic assisted steering:

The electrically assisted steering is good, not great. BMW has come a long way with its EPS, though don’t expect Porsche or Mazda levels of feedback. Feel is muted, and there’s more input needed versus an M4. In some ways the slower rack feels more natural, making the M2 easier to place. Another aspect where it seems engineers consciously swapped outright performance for driver enjoyment

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/autos/othe...98241cc7&ei=29

Im not surprised; pretty much every gen M car has been better than the last. Styling aside, they're all wonderful machines.

Do car companies make new cars to suck more than their previous models intentionally?

carburetors - check
leaf spring suspension - check
air cooled - check (maybe very good and demand more money)
spartan interior - check

/jerk off

Yeah, ask Chrysler and Mitsubishi and Nissan.

Come on trollface. The new Eclipse is soooo much better. What are you talking about?

Mustang 2, way better than the original mustang.

etc.

Anyway... I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that losing Biermann all those years ago has caused M to lose focus a little. It's like if Preuninger walked away from the GT program. I might expect the product a gen or two down the line to have a different feel. Could be worse, could be better, probably won't be the same.

Did BMW get a new head designer the last few years?

All their new design looks so...different...(not in a good way imo)
It feels like they purposely make these controversial design with weird flamboyant look to grab attention.


I saw an ix on the road last day....I swear I have never seen an uglier car
The giant (fake?) front grille looks like they just slap a sticker on it...like children toy cars

And I don't see design change like this in other brands (audi, benz, porsche, lexus...etc), so I don't think it is an industry trend thing?

You don't think the front of the Merc EQ series look the same crappy plastic sticker toy as the BMW IX??

Apparently they haven't figured out how to do front-ends that don't have openings haha

I'd argue the Merc EQs look worse because their looks are so forgettable - there's no identity in their design and it looks like a bar of soap on the road. I haven't heard anyone say they love the design any EQ model (yet). The people I know that bought one chose it primarily for its badge.

Meanwhile, most of the newer BMWs look controversial enough to catch people's attention. The IX is not my cup of tea, but I've had more than a few people say they like it for its edgy looks.

The iX looks futuristic ugly, the EQs look like an egg with stickers. I guess if you want to show off the money the iX makes way more sense.

Now if they would make a X5 plugin or EV affordable.......

Just saw the new m2 in person at park shore. Not sure if it was the colour (some sort of orangey red) but man, it looked really fucking good. You might expect it coming from a BMW fanboi, but I assure you, I'm not a NEW BMW fanboi. I fucking despise the new m3/m4. The proportions of the new m2 are awesome, and you can see some e30 m3 in the fenders, and e36 m3 in the side profile. It's more true to their design than I thought it was.

Lol I was just driving towards a chevron but saw the new M2 in Zandvoort Blue at an Esso on the opposite side, so i did a u-turn to park behind him and gas up. Looks pretty good in person, although I’m not fond of the blue.

Yes I feel vindicated for my original opinion that it looks pretty good :pokerface:

I liked it from the start, but kind of with the mentality of liking it compared to every other terrible option out there. Now I actually really like it. That price is pretty painful though.

the bmw ix looks like mashimaro to me

https://e7.pngegg.com/pngimages/280/...-thumbnail.png
https://media.autoweek.nl/m/0ghy33tb9iis_800.jpg

Cannot unsee :lol

The price, and the weight.

Yeah isn't it like 3700lbs? I don't get it. Why is it the same weight as the larger version of it (m4)

Cause it basically is the same car with different skin. The G82 M4 I think is 100lbs more, so really there's your weight saving from moving to a slightly smaller skin.

saw the same car rolling down first towards me

didn't think i could hate it more than the initial photos.

it's even worse in person.

last good looking ///M car wasn't even "a real M" :troll:

https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content...a-1024x555.jpg

I think you'll like the F87 M2?

for looks? nope. absolutely choosing a 1M over an F87.

I guess blend of price, looks, reliability, and capability.

I prefer the E46 still over everything else, but they are getting hard to find in good nick and the maintenance of a E46M can be hectic as hell.

I can't beat the versatility and low maintenance of the F8x platform, the F80 allows me to baby and family on the weekend and hit the track as well. It's just expensive to hit the track with......

At least you aren't burning through a set of brake pads, fluid, calipers, and new tires every weekend. :D

(Looks at BIC_BAWS)

I'd pay the 90k price of entry for a 1m over the same quality m2 for 50k for sure. Not that it's the good decision, but it would be my decision.