search.noResults

search.searching

note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
MOTORING


Muscle Dial M for


If you’re in the market for a high-performance, two-door saloon, there’s plenty to choose from, particularly in the hot-hatch sector. But if you want to factor in some serious muscle, then the choice narrows. Back in the 1980s – that’s over 30 years ago – BMW gave us the iconic M3, a 3-Series family car that had more than a little bit extra grunt and handling. Today, there are various iterations of ‘M’ derivatives. One of the most recent additions to the fold is the M2 and Nick Jones has been testing the baby ‘Beemer’.


BMW’s M2 looks like an athlete, the clean lines of the standard car honed, shaped and chiselled to show that it offers more than a little something extra. It carries no fat and yet is bulkier than the 2-Series from which it is


spawned. From the deeper radiator grille and diffuser assembly at the front,


through the more pronounced swage lines on the sides to the splitter and pair of twin exhausts at the rear, it demands attention. In fact, to your average petrolhead, it screams “drive me, drive me hard”. The proportions, to me, are absolutely spot-on, and show how seriously


the design boys at BMW took their brief to make the M2 an appealing muscle car. The balance between bonnet, boot and roofline is perfect, every curve is beautiful. Internally, the attention to detail is sublime, even with the smallest of things. It’s not the most modern interior on the market, but you can feel the


quality as soon as you sit in the driver’s seat and you’ll never tire of looking at it or the multitude of ‘M’ logos. The steering wheel is thick and comfortable, the seats are deep and


cosseting and there is even a knee-pad on the side of the centre console to rest your leg against. My test car was fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox so there was


little chance to simply rest my knee, but there is also a seven-speed M DCT paddle shift auto version available which would give more knee-resting – or bracing through corners - opportunity. Even for a seasoned tester like me, there was a moment of excitement as


I put the key in to the ignition, turned it and felt as well as heard the 365bhp 3.0-litre V6 engine come to life. Remember, this is a small family car with a turbo and rear wheel drive, so the potential for a bit of tail- happy driving is phenomenal – just don’t do it on the public highway and never when your kids are on board.


60 business network May 2017 The performance is monumental. This baby ‘Beemer’ tops out at a


licence-losing 164mph, passing 60mph in just 4.3 seconds from stationary. And the engine note emitted from those four exhaust pipes is divine,


aided by an electronically-controlled flap that, when open to allow the gases to escape more quickly, turns a deep and melodic purr into the almighty growl ‘M’ aficionados know and love. If you are tempted to turn up the volume with the loud pedal, you can be


assured that the stop pedal is also equal to the task, sending pressure to four-piston callipers up front, two-piston at the rear, to clamp those huge, drilled brake discs. Tyres and road conditions permitting, the M2 stops as well as it goes. With such high power and scintillating performance, potential customers


might expect to need deep pockets. But BMW has managed to keep a check on both economy and emissions


with clever innovations enabling the engine to run smoothly and efficiently. Expect economy in the high 20s to the gallon, possibly early 30s if you


resist the loud pedal occasionally, and emissions of 1g/km under the magical 200g/km figure, so not top of the tree in first year Vehicle Excise Duty. If BMW has got the balance right, and I think they have, the M2 should


hold its residual value well, which is good news when the entry-level car starts at £44,070. But you get a lot of bang for your buck. It has all the luxury and drop-


dead gorgeous looks you’d demand of a car costing that much and it far exceeds the expectations of your average pocket-rocket to give you an ultra-involving driver’s car. This is a car you could, and quite possibly would, drive to Donnington


Park, whizz around the circuit for ten laps and then drive back home. I know I really like a lot of cars that I test but the M2 definitely gets five out of five from me.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64