Thread: M2 vs Carrera S
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      06-29-2014, 08:14 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by manuelf
Quote:
Originally Posted by IS3andME View Post
BMW M period wouldn't go for that. Ask yourself, why and how would the M2 using a modded N55, with about 375 hp, LSD, possible carbon bits and around 3,400 pounds (if that) be more expensive than the M3/M4? It doesn't make sense.
Fully agree! Makes no sense/will not happen. The upcoming M2 is clearly positioned against direct competitors like Audi RS3 (to some extent also Audi TTRS, as long as BMW (M) has no real competitor in the form of a Z 3/4 M which will exist not until the joint Toyota platform is ready), AMG A45.
That means it will exactly meet this price point.

Quote:
Originally Posted by IS3andME View Post
Nor does it make sense for it to be a Carrera S competitor when that job is pretty much the M3/M4's. And by the same logic you used, the M2 would be a M3/M4 competitor, so you would have a care competing not only with the Carrera S, but with it's bigger brother as well. BMW/M ain't going for that.
Also agree - not at this time at least. The more general question imho is:
When will the M2 replace the M3/4 as the sportiest (in terms of track performance - not straight line performance) BMW?
Despite the talk about weight reduction measures with F8x, BMW faces the problem of the ever increasing size of the base 3/4 series platform. Even with the F8x (according to real weighing tests) BMW "only" managed to stop the weight increase - a real improvement to the E9x has not happened.
That means a M2 WILL be lighter. And since - from a packaging point of view - it does not matter whether you put in a N55 or S55 in the M2, it would be "easy" to make the M2 the car with the better track performance for BMW. So - how long does it make sense to "artificially" limit the M2 compared to the M3/M4?
One theoretical way out could be to create an M2 CSL:
- adopting the S55 engine in the M2 package
- aggressively work on weight reduction (CSL variants are allowed to be highly compromised -> doable)
- price it a bit higher than the M3/M4

This way (CSL), it could be easier for marketing to argue, that M2 is "more" than M4. And for me, it makes much more sense to develop a CSL on a smaller platform (M2) than on a bigger platform (M4) ....
The current Z4 will grown up and become the Z5. The BMW/Toyota venture will bring to life the up and coming BMW Z7.
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