BMW M2 Long Term Review, October 2024 Report

The need this machine serves is very simple – I have an affliction that requires me to exercise my left leg when seated in the driver’s seat. It also requires me to use one hand to change gears as often as possible. Without this, a sense of boredom and disengagement creeps in – no matter how ostensibly special the vehicle claims to be. And so, entering the fleet is a manual BMW M2 – perhaps the last non-hybrid, manual M-car that will ever be made! Ever since the previous M2 was introduced, I’ve been lobbying BMW to launch the manual in India. So, when they finally did – thanks to Vikram Pahwa, President & CEO of BMW Group India, whom you see in the pictures – I had no choice but to put my money where my mouth is. And so began a long process of planning, conjuring and configuring.

The end result is what you see here – an M2 in Brooklyn Grey, with a manual transmission of course, but also the following options: carbon fiber roof (which is 6kg lighter than its steel equivalent), carbon fiber package (which adds a nice touch to the cabin), Shadowline trim (which adds a few blacked out elements), red brake calipers (as opposed to blue), black rims, and a cognac interior. Suffice to say, I’ve spent an unreasonable amount of time on the BMW configurator over the years, and so to finally get the chance to create a car that would eventually end up life-sized and in the metal was a pretty special experience. And this was anything but a flippant decision. It took a great deal of thought, planning and a long history with a trio of older BMWs, each that left their own indelible mark – in chronological order, a 1987 E30 325is, a 1992 E36 325i (which remains part of the fleet, but doesn’t get driven much because it’s over 15 years old and is parked in Delhi, even though it isn’t registered in the NCR), and a 2014 F30 328i (which was the only automatic of the lot, simply because a manual wasn’t an option in that case).

Also Read: 2023 BMW M2 vs 1992 BMW 325i - The Last Old School M-Car

Why the obsession with a manual?
Well, it’s quite simple really – it adds a level of engagement that I find impossible to match this side of a Lamborghini Huracan STO, with its fire-breathing 5.2-litre V10 and 7-speed DCT. And so, it’s a real shame that the manual transmission will be relegated to the pages of history in the electrified age. Even in high-performance machines, such as M-cars, as they gain hybrid powertrains, it rules out the possiblilty of a manual being part of the equation. In this instance, despite the fact that the automatic M2 is two tenths of a second quicker to 100km/h (at 4.1 seconds), in my book it still can’t match the involvement and thrill of the manual. 

The other challenge with the M2 is its relatively porky kerb weight of 1,775kg, which is over 200 kilos more than its predecessor. But, for all practical purposes, it is an M3 with a shorter wheelbase and slightly less power – the front and rear subframes are pretty much identical. BMW claims 460 horsepower going to the rear wheels – a good recipe no doubt – but word on the street is that this figure is heavily underreported and there are whispers of it being closer to 500! So, that should be plenty of power to mask its weight and propel it towards the horizon at adequate velocity.

The plan now is to put 2,000 kilometres on the clock as quickly as possible to get the run-in period and first service taken care of – where they replace the engine oil and differential fluid – before heading out to the BIC for our mega test, which will include finally exploring the M2’s true potential. 500 horses, or thereabouts. Rear Drive. Manual Transmission. Should be entertaining. Stay tuned...