The BMW M division can royally take its time to conceive the M2. Only (very) few information is known to date. Nevertheless some considerations as to the concept itself.
Undoubtedly the M2 will be a great car, but hopefully the large time window, large budget and mass production purpose, does not result into a conceptually
"overproduced" (read: overly fine-tuned) design/concept. The complaint you sometimes hear about some Porsche cars: it is simply too perfect, flawless. The magic trick is to capture some sort of 'soul' or 'spirit' into the car that excites, offering you (the perception of) a great driving experience, the idea of an excellent
"nexus" between car and driver.
But, for sure, BMW learned from the E46 M3 CSL and 1M experiences: also for commercial and image reasons, it definitely
is worth to produce a special, (even) more staunch looking, version of an M car, and sell it in limited numbers. So it might be worth not jumping on the M2 boat straightaway, but to hold out for the M2 CSL (
"2-Series M Coupé CSL" ?
). The latter might be the one to
really look out for, for eventually getting (over)awed.
Check the enthusiasm at the dealership when you bring this rare bird (1M) in for maintenance. Guess who's the favorite/pet of the classroom most (if not all) techs/mechanics and managers want to treat ? So there is undoubtedly something special about the 1M, also amongst those in the know, some sort of aura/halo, that makes it a league of its own. Time will tell if BMW M can achieve to capture the same sort of magic with(in) the M2, or special versions of the M2. Some 1M pixie dust might be helpful.
Actually, from hindsight, the time and budget constraints turned out to be a blessing for the 1M. It ended up
semi-raw - say
"saignant" instead of
"à point". There simply was no time and money enough ...to spoil it (softening and toning down its fairly spectacular aspects).
Or how an
impromptu performance by the BMW M division resulted into a master piece, an instant classic, a motoring marvel that has set a new benchmark within its class. Let Dr. Kay Segler take off his helmet again and say
"M2: now it's your turn".
