[Colinv6]

Definitely! Maybe direct your question to someone non official looking who may blab without realising.

///Mobbin - Excuse me we were just wondering what was going on tonight?

Dumb looking blonde secretary - Oh it's just some private event, there's a car in there I think it's a fast 2 series or something..

///Mobbin - Straight onto here to blab to us!

[///Mobbin]

Originally Posted by Colinv6

Definitely! Maybe direct your question to someone non official looking who may blab without realising.

///Mobbin - Excuse me we were just wondering what was going on tonight?

Dumb looking blonde secretary - Oh it's just some private event, there's a car in there I think it's a fast 2 series or something..

///Mobbin - Straight onto here to blab to us!

So I totally just saw a Donington Gray x5m coming out of a BMW plant on the way here, first time seeing that color, awesome!! Looks good even on a cloudy day!

[///Mobbin]

Inspiration for the M2 I hope!

[///Mobbin]

Plaque beneath it.

[///Mobbin]

E9 Coupe 3.0 CSL

[///Mobbin]

2011 ALMS GT Race Car

[///Mobbin]

Z8 Roadster

[///Mobbin]

As expected, no news but a fun excursion nonetheless!

(The person I talked too didn't know what the event next week was for.)

[///Mobbin]

FWIW I'm pretty sure I saw a fleet of x5m's parked at the BMW Performance Center. My guess is that the event at Zentrum has to do with that.

[///Mobbin]

Originally Posted by ///Mobbin

FWIW I'm pretty sure I saw a fleet of x5m's parked at the BMW Performance Center. My guess is that the event at Zentrum has to do with that.

On further inspection they were just x5's, sorry. Zentrum dealer reveal theory back in play, though more likely wishful thinking!

[eeghie]

Originally Posted by Reedomn

So can someone tell me what Scott26 does for BMW? Is it a big secret? He or she definitely knows details and is involved somehow.....I've been around the forum for sometime and just curious.....

///M marketing says he is not working for them (2011)

Suspect he's part of downstream (possibly country) marketing and sales organization. He obviously knows some inside stories, but does not define when what info gets released. In that sense to me, he's a cog in the run of the mill teaser campaigns that BMW (and pretty much all other car brands) are currently running for every new model.

Besides being deliberately vague, he might be a nice guy.

[BIGMIG]

I asked someone who is at the New York auto show to ask the BMW folks for any word on the M2. He said someone else asked, and their response is they are not commenting.

[Alumac]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Both M2 and M4 GTS will be launched in late 2015. And both models are considered for further progress.

This makes sense. The current M2 offering, while nice, is not the kind of car I would want to jump on. Let's be honest, with what we know, it is a slightly tuned production engine, with cosmetic changes, LSD, and a badge. An M2 CSL that plays at a price above an M3/4, and includes CFRP roof, S55 engine tuned up, and other accoutremounts befitting a purpose focused car would be awesome.

With what I have seen so far, the M2 just does not fit the bill, outside of being an entry level M car. It's like 911 vs Cayman all over again.

[fuddman]

Originally Posted by Alumac

.... the M2 just does not fit the bill, outside of being an entry level M car.

"outside of being an entry level car?" The purpose the M2 exists at all is to be an entry level car.
I sometimes think I place too much importance on the performance/options end of this car (leading to some frustrations) and not enough importance on the reason the car was built in the first place.
The M2 was the brainchild of M division head Kay Segler (2009). Even back then, his idea was to build an inexpensive, fun car "... to make the M brand more accessible to neophytes." Subsequent M Division heads, I think, seemed to have remained true to that idea.
That's the real criteria by which to judge this car- is it fun and is it cheap.
It definitely looks like a fun car and shortly we'll find out if they have achieved the cars other main goal - making it inexpensive and, so, accessible.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by fuddman

"outside of being an entry level car?" The purpose the M2 exists at all is to be an entry level car.
I sometimes think I place too much importance on the performance/options end of this car (leading to some frustrations) and not enough importance on the reason the car was built in the first place.
The M2 was the brainchild of M division head Kay Segler (2009). Even back then, his idea was to build an inexpensive, fun car "... to make the M brand more accessible to neophytes." Subsequent M Division heads, I think, seemed to have remained true to that idea.
That's the real criteria by which to judge this car- is it fun and is it cheap.
It definitely looks like a fun car and shortly we'll find out if they have achieved the cars other main goal - making it inexpensive and, so, accessible.

Why does the performance of the M2 concern you? Odds are it will be on the heels of the M3/4 just like the 1M was a generation ago. (In fact, the 1M had performed better than the M3 in certain situations).

As far as options, it offers anything anyone would need. Or are you talking about limited exterior and interior colors? I do wish they would offer an orange...

[W///]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Why does the performance of the M2 concern you? Odds are it will be on the heels of the M3/4 just like the 1M was a generation ago. (In fact, the 1M had performed better than the M3 in certain situations).

As far as options, it offers anything anyone would need. Or are you talking about limited exterior and interior colors? I do wish they would offer an orange...

I don't think that's going to happen this time around. The reason the 1M was quicker than the E9x M3 was because of the torque. This time, it's turbo vs turbos, so there will be more of a gap.

I think the one advantage the M2 will have that might close the gap is that the M3/4 just has too much power. Either way, the car will have more than enough real world performance in my opinion. Hell I thought the M235i was more than fast enough to get you into trouble.

P.S. I love your avatar picture. Valencia Orange is such a good looking color.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by W///

I don't think that's going to happen this time around. The reason the 1M was quicker than the E9x M3 was because of the torque. This time, it's turbo vs turbos, so there will be more of a gap.

I think the one advantage the M2 will have that might close the gap is that the M3/4 just has too much power. Either way, the car will have more than enough real world performance in my opinion. Hell I thought the M235i was more than fast enough to get you into trouble.

P.S. I love your avatar picture. Valencia Orange is such a good looking color.

While I don't doubt that the M2 will have more than enough power and will be very fast, it's not about raw speed. For me the whole debacle about detuned S55 vs. uptune N55 is not about numbers but rather about engine character. The S engine revs higher, builds revs faster and more importantly carries max HP to redline and doesn't run out of breath at 5k rpm like the N55's do.

I came from an 2008 335 to a 2014 M235, and while I love everything about the M235 more than I did the 335, the twin turbo N54 was a stronger engine than the N55.

The S55 is a step above and no matter what they do to the N55, I am skeptical that it will feel that special

[fuddman]

Originally Posted by Ramos

The S55 is a step above and no matter what they do to the N55, I am skeptical that it will feel that special

The N55 M2, it is said, will go 0-62 in 4.5 seconds. That puts the 0-60 time around 4.0 seconds.
That's special.

[metrickid]

Originally Posted by fuddman

The N55 M2, it is said, will go 0-62 in 4.5 seconds. That puts the 0-60 time around 4.0 seconds.
That's special.

2 MPH won't take 0.5 seconds, you are looking at 4.3-4.4s if it is 0-62 in 4.5 seconds.

[fuddman]

Originally Posted by Rossifumi

2 MPH won't take 0.5 seconds, you are looking at 4.3-4.4s if it is 0-62 in 4.5 seconds.

I'm not convinced the certainty in your conclusion is justified. There is no mathematical relationship you can use to convert 0-62 time to 0-60 time for a given car. It's all guess work until BMW publishes the 0-60 time.
I base my claim on how the 0-60 time unfolded in the introduction of the M4. Prior to its debut, a BMW engineer said the 0-62 time for the M4 was going to be about 4.4 seconds. Turns out the official BMW 0-60 time came out 3.9, a drop of .5 seconds. That .5 second number, to me, is a feasible drop.
My guess is BMW can put the 0-60 time anywhere they want it and, for the M2, they want to keep it .2 second slower than the M4. That, IMO, is the relationship one should look at in determining 0-60 time: M4 0-60 time + .2 seconds.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by fuddman

The N55 M2, it is said, will go 0-62 in 4.5 seconds. That puts the 0-60 time around 4.0 seconds.
That's special.

Did you read anything I wrote? How I'm not saying the numbers aren't good because obviously they will be, how I'm talking about engine character and drivability not just about acceleration numbers??

I have an M235, the N55 is strong but not special, nothing like the N54 and miles below the S55 in character.
Adding 40 hp to that engine won't give it the character it lacks I'm afraid.
It still won't build revs fast enough, it still won't have the middle of the range torque of the other two twin turbo motors, and it still will run out of breath over 5k rpm.

[PackPride85]

Originally Posted by Ramos

Did you read anything I wrote? How I'm not saying the numbers aren't good because obviously they will be, how I'm talking about engine character and drivability not just about acceleration numbers??

I have an M235, the N55 is strong but not special, nothing like the N54 and miles below the S55 in character.
Adding 40 hp to that engine won't give it the character it lacks I'm afraid.
It still won't build revs fast enough, it still won't have the middle of the range torque of the other two twin turbo motors, and it still will run out of breath over 5k rpm.

All that depends on how they modify it. Might be more than just a re-tune. We don't really know.

The N55 makes more mid-range torque over the N54, especially with the mid range overboost.