2023 BMW M2 Driven: More Fender, More Power, More Better

• The new M version of the recently redesigned 2 Series coupe is coming this spring.
• It packs 453 horsepower from an M4-derived turbocharged six-cylinder engine.
• We answer the top-of-mind question: Is it still fun to drive?

It's a simple five-step recipe to create a BMW entry-level high-performance coupe. It goes like this: 1) Take one rear-wheel-drive 2 Series; 2) fortify the chassis with extra stiffening; 3) add a wallop of power in the way of the engine from the M4; 4) let BMW's M Division engineers sort it all out; and 5) add some heroic fender flares. Boom, you've got yourself the new 2023 BMW M2.

Of course it's not quite that simple, and the result might leave you with two questions that I hope to answer here: 1) Is it still fun? The redesigned M2 is more powerful than before but it's also longer, wider and heavier. And 2) Is it another modern classic in the waiting?

What's under the BMW M2's hood?

BMW stuffs its latest M division twin-turbo inline-six into the new M2. The 3.0-liter engine, known as the S58, belts out 453 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque and revs out to 7,200 rpm. The engine makes a not insubstantial 48 more hp than the 2019-2021 M2 Competition, but it comes up 20 ponies shy of the base version of the M4, which has this same engine.

Unlike the M4, the M2 is only available with rear-wheel drive. That saves some weight and provides a more classical driving experience but won't quite have the same explosive acceleration that AWD provides. A six-speed manual transmission is standard and an eight-speed automatic is available. BMW says the M2 should accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds with the manual and 3.9 seconds with the automatic. We've yet to do our own testing but it seems the M2 will be competitive with the Corvette Stingray (3.6 seconds) and Ford Mustang Mach 1 (4.1 seconds). Top speed is limited to 155 mph, unless you opt for the M Driver's package that will then raise it to a more reasonable 177 mph.

Putting all that power to the ground is a set of staggered-width 19-inch wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires. Of course, there's an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to help get the most power to the ground as well as 10-stage traction control, and every hooligan's favorite, a drift analyzer. Watch our video where we tried it out on the M4.

How does the M2 drive?

The previous-generation M2 has left a pretty high bar for its successor. It was light and athletic and packed serious midrange power, but it also took some real skill to explore its limits. On a less than perfect back road, it was equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. Driving it aggressively took commitment, and you always felt like you were one bump away from a very expensive excursion.

The new M2 is much more buttoned-down and composed on a less than perfect surface. The car's adaptive suspension dampers — something the old M2 lacked — is the big reason why. Although I couldn't discern a significant difference between the three suspension modes, even the firmest setting allowed the M2 to really dig into the pavement without being so easily distracted by crown, camber and bumps.

Power from the M2's engine is delivered linearly but that doesn't make acceleration any less eye-opening. It feels less wild than the M4 can at wide open throttle but the M2 is still capable of piling on the speed. This is a real gem on an engine, and it makes the M2 feel somehow both burly and refined simultaneously.

I didn't mess with the 10-mode stability control settings during my initial drive but the presets for Sport and Sport Plus modes seem pretty well set up for aggressive driving stints. My one complaint is the usual one for a modern BMW: the steering. It just doesn't provide much feedback, and that makes it tough to gauge how much traction the front tires have.

It's difficult to pinpoint which of the changes to this new generation of M2 has made the biggest difference to the way it goes down the road. The longer wheelbase could certainly help make it a bit more stable, and the new chassis with extra reinforcements above and beyond what the standard 2 Series offers might allow more compliant and sympathetic suspension tuning. The new car weighs about 200 pounds more than the old car, but it also delivers more speed and confidence than its predecessor. I'm all for it.

How's the BMW M2's interior?

Part of the charm of the last-generation M2 was the way it seemed to trail other BMWs in interior modernity. Not that it was out of date necessarily, but it conveyed a sense that driving was what the M2 was all about. Well, I'm sorry to report that one of the last vestiges of a traditional BMW, those timeless analog gauges, are no more. All 2 Series coupes inherit the brand's new fully digital dash for 2023, which I'll cover in more detail below.

The M2 inherits the same mix of quality materials and geometric forms from the standard 2 Series coupe. Heated, power-adjustable sport seats are standard and are wrapped in perforated leather with illuminated M logos in the head restraints. Optional M Carbon front bucket seats are another first for the new M2. They are 24 pounds lighter than the standard seats and still retain their power adjustments and heating elements.

Those seats look pretty aggressive, and while they are more serious than those in the Mustang and Toyota GR Supra, they do afford a decent amount of comfort for most body types. The back seat is tight but roomier than the Mustang's, and it certainly beats the no-rear-seat-at-all design of the Supra and Corvette. The M2 is still a fairly practical two-door coupe.

How's the BMW M2's tech?

The new M2 has full digital instrumentation and a touchscreen infotainment system. The two screens live side by side under a single curved display panel set within a rectangular housing. It looks a little like a video gaming setup. So yeah, I do miss the signature analog gauges BMW is known for.

Additionally, the 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system features a next-generation iDrive 8 operating system. Among its highlights is BMW's Intelligent Personal Assistant with expanded capabilities that allow voice control of the climate system, power windows and driver assistance systems. For example, you can say: "Hey, BMW, turn off the lane departure warning system." In theory, this means you can use voice commands instead of hunting through menus while you're hurtling down a favorite back road. But that assumes that you don't mind talking to your car. Without voice commands, figuring out iDrive 8's features and on-screen menus can take a while to master.

Standard driver assist systems include front and rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning. You can add adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability if you get the eight-speed automatic transmission.

Edmunds says

Looking for all the world like a modern, road-going version of a Group 5 BMW 320, the new 2023 BMW M2 instantly conveys the power and performance lurking beneath the bodywork. The addition of both size and weight to the M2 is unfortunate but the improved stability and additional power are more than enough to make you forget about most, if not all, of your complaints. When the loss of analog gauges your biggest gripe (no, I'm not going to let it go), you know BMW has cooked up something special. Stay with Edmunds for our full instrumented test of the new M2 as well as our Expert Rating of this likely future classic.