BMW M2 Long Term Review, January 2025 Report

When I decided to take the plunge with the new M2, it was primarily because the manual transmission was being offered in the country for the first time in an M-car. With that said, I knew that the automatic would be faster and perhaps better suited to a modern performance car that’s packed to the gills with electronics.

BMW also gets a lot of flak for the shift action of its manuals, but, personally, I can think of nothing better than a BMW six-cylinder motor, paired with a manual gearbox, sending power to the rear wheels. Well, truth be told, it’s no Porsche manual, but, other than that, it’s near perfect in my book. So, it was with some trepidation that I jumped into the driver’s seat of an automatic M2 for the first time – and that too this was the updated M2 with 20 more horsepower. With 8-ratios, compared with 6 in the manual, it was clear that the auto was always going to feel faster. Not only does it do a much better job of masking any turbo lag, but it also keeps the engine in its prodigious power band at all times. The revs rise even more relentlessly, and the shove in the back is constant. The 20 more horses don’t hurt either.

And, of course, the auto would be better suited to sitting in traffic. So, objectively, it’s clear that the automatic is superior. But I would still choose the manual every day of the week. After all, the level of engagement that the manual gives you can never be matched by two pedals and a pair of paddles. A car like this is meant to be as engaging and rewarding as possible, and that’s where the clutch pedal and manual gear lever combine to ensure that you feel totally at one with the machine. And that’s a feeling I wouldn’t trade for all the extra speed and comfort in the world.

Also Read: BMW M2 Long Term Review, December 2024 Report

Also Read: BMW M2 Long Term Long Term Review, November 2024 Report