Quote:
Originally Posted by Seagull
Disclaimer:  My thoughts purely based on nothing....Except with one thought - The M2 will be about the future like the i8 but with a different angle. Also, I am not a gear head or track junkie.
The new M2 will be influenced on the i8 and M3/M4 usage of CFRP. The M3/M4 was the first experiment in a "normal" car and as small step, but the M2 will continue the usage of CFRP towards the the i8/i3's usage at a higher rate. And not a baby step.
Because the focus is on weight, this means HP to a degree. But more importantly bhp/ton will be the measurement. Don't necessarily expect a near 400hp car. But in terms of numbers there are some standards/benchmarks it must beat. It has to be better/higher than the stock M235i regardless of bhp/ton. But there was also talk of another PPK/tune for the M235i so it has to leave room for that ( and the money it will generate). My guess 360-375 for the M2. That leaves room a ppk to of 340-350 for the M235i.
I know I'm purely dreaming but eventually the future is CFRP everywhere in BMW. If that's the case, it has to start with the "i's" but the next logical flowdown of that is the M's. Now if that's the case, as other's have said, to maintain the 50/50 balance, something must be done about the engine. The engine is only a problem up until their target is met. Their target will be a reflection of the new world bhp/ton, and not some old world heavy hp number. If I were pitching an idea, I would ask to Frankenstein a car together like the 1M... ( wait that sounds familiar ) and prove this concept
So my proof of concept would be, take the shell/suspension of an i8. Ram a conventional suspension in it. Ram a 28i engine in it. What do you think the bhp/ton would be? What's the M3/M4s?
And instead of doing it gradually, why not do it in a huge step to leapfrog the competition. And remember all those "I" engineers will be in part rolling off the "I" project, so their mind's will be available to pick from the M division.
Is this dream: - Heavily medicated, vision induced dream
- Amsterdam in Germany
- A waking vision
- A premonition
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Interesting idea, but would that type car price itself out of the general range that one would expect to find the M2? I can't imagine the M2 starting much more than 51-52K here in the US...that gives it coverage between the M235 and the M3/4.
SCOTT mentioned a CFRP roof, which the 1M didn't have, but perhaps the technology will be better positioned price-wise by then, that it isn't prohibitive in this range.
We shall see...