Testing the 2024 BMW M2—maybe the last M car with a manual transmission

We’re at an attention-grabbing crossroads within the high-performance fanatic automobile market. Operating east to west is the adoption of electrical automobiles and a gradual discount in inner combustion engine automobile manufacturing. North to south is the development of ICE horsepower from the manufacturing facility over time, and it is unclear how far it continues from right here. Coming in diagonally is the weakening demand for guide transmissions—that is sadly the place they finish.

In the course of this intersection is the 2024 BMW M2 six-speed guide, hanging its tail out in a large managed drift across the edges, expressing one final hurrah as BMW’s remaining object of internal-combustion M automobile affection.

I not too long ago had the chance to pilot BMW’s newest, smallest M automobile by means of a few of Southern California’s most enjoyable mountain roads, plus Willow Springs Worldwide Raceway’s Streets of Willow circuit. In the case of shortly determining this sort of automobile’s powertrain and chassis, I can not consider a greater mixture of pavement. This is what makes the newest—and final—six-speed-manual-equipped M2 technology an total glorious fanatic coupe.

Centered inside-out

Seems to be are subjective, notably BMW appears to be like, however I believe BMW did job on the M2’s exterior. Its kidney grilles, headlights, fender flares, exhaust suggestions, and large fenders—particularly within the rear quarter panels—are engaging. It is a muscular little coupe, and it positively informs you of its intentions with its large intakes minimize into its entrance finish. Behind them lies a warmth exchanger for its engine’s air-to-water intercooling (extra on that in a bit), plus a number of different types of water and oil cooling to make sure long-lasting peak efficiency, all-twisty-road-and-track-session-long. It is onerous to mistake it for a base 2 Collection.

Inside, it is fairly spacious for a coupe and has nice visibility throughout. My check automobile included the $9,900 Carbon Bundle, which will get you snug, near-race-bucket carbon fiber seats and a slick carbon roof. I am 6 ft and three inches tall, so the absence of sliding glass up prime was a godsend and even allowed me to put on a helmet on observe while not having to recline, a rarity in trendy vehicles. The seats are a little bit of a ache to slip out and in of, and the left leg bolster pushed inward barely an excessive amount of, impeding environment friendly and comfy clutch motion for my lanky determine. I believe many of us would not have the identical challenge, although.

Expertise-wise, a crisp 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen take up plenty of actual property. BMW’s iDrive 8 software program is simple to get the dangle of, operates fairly seamlessly, and has good haptic suggestions. Supplies high quality is total fairly good; all buttons and dials felt substantial, and the Carbon Bundle contains stylish slabs of carbon fiber trim as an alternative of the boring outdated piano black plastic that is all too widespread in trendy efficiency vehicles.