The all-new 2023 BMW M2 is… controversial, to say the least – and has been ever since it made its global debut back in October last year. This writer, too, isn’t the biggest fan of its looks, so when the invitation came for the global media test drive in Arizona, I can’t really say that I was excited for it – or, at least, not as much as I usually am.
Does it look like that just for the sake of being controversial? Did BMW just ruin one of its all-time greats? Well, one thing’s for sure: you won’t be thinking any of this as soon as you get strapped into the driver’s seat.
The previous-generation M2 was frequently regarded as one of the best-handling BMW M cars ever made (we thought so, too), and I postulate that they’ve made it even better on this all-new model. It’s gained a few pounds, and it also drives a little more mature too. But even then, it still doesn’t lose its sharp and aggressive edge, be it on turn in, or corner exit.
In some ways, it truly is a baby M3 or M4. Even its powertrain is also inherited from its elder siblings, with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine underneath the long bonnet sending 460 hp and 550 Nm to the rear wheels. Global customers get to choose between an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, but we Malaysians only get the former.
There are many more things to be said after spending two full days carving the Arizonian canyons with BMW M’s new darling, so be sure to check out the full video above. And if I’ve managed to tempt you into buying one, BMW Malaysia is accepting orders now, at an on-the-road price of RM599k.
