[GoingTooFast]

I really don't know the extension of the so-called BMW's 'carbon fiber revolution' and how much of it will go into the M2. What I do know is that the Megane RS Cup, N'ring recordist for a FWD car (8:07,97 min), is a 4-seater and that the Peugeot RCZ R, which is faster than the former on a 1000 m drag race, is a 2+2 like the Porsche 911. Both are Coupes, both are FWD and both have 6-speed manual gearboxes.

If we take the 6-speed manual version of the M235i we find that its EU weight is 1530kg.

On the other hand, (1) the Megane EU weight is (1387 + 75) kg = 1462 kg and (2) the RCZ R EU weight is (1280 + 75) = 1355 kg !!!

Now, let's find out how much weight the M235i would have to loose in order to match the EU weight of each of the other two:

(1) 1530 kg - 1462 kg = 68 kg (150 lbs)

(2) 1530 kg - 1355 kg = 175 kg (385.8 lbs)



So, 150 lbs is the absolute minimum weight advantage that the M2 should have over the M235i, with a sub-300 hp, 2.0L 4-pot engine - this is feasible and realistic!

Why is this particular target important?! Because the M2 should also be faster than the fastest of the FWD cars around the N'ring, which right know means faster than the Megane RS Cup - watch out for the new 2.0L and 280 hp Honda Civic Type-R which was built to beat the Megane around the N'ring!

Ok, so far we have the M2's minium weight gain (150 lbs) and the maximum engine power rate which should cover the new CTR engine's power rate, somewhere between 280 and 300 hp (I say 286 hp or 210 KW, like the 1st E36 M3 generation) !!!

Knowing that Peugeot Sport was able to get 270 hp out of the turbocharged 1.6L PRINCE engine, BMW M should be able to get 286 hp out of a similar engine instead of using a 2.0L engine. This is true EFFICIENT DYNAMICS !!!

Now that we have a M2 faster than any FWD 4-seater car around the N'ring we can start dreaming...

And that my friends would mean cut 385.8 lbs out of the M235i weight and enter RCZ R and Cayman territory which clearly is NOT realistic for a M2 from a cost perspective having the M235i as a development base.

Last time BMW did something similarly radical was with the E46 M3 CSL and the price jumped sky high for "just" 242.5 lbs of weight saving.