Stepping off a five-hour flight and into the 2023 BMW M2 was like flinging open the doors on the last day of school and erupting into summer. But after a 90-minute drive through the traffic of San Francisco to the vineyards of Napa, I needed to stretch my legs and shake off travel butt. I had a couple of hours before work called, so I sought some place to run. Maybe hike. Probably walk.
I did none of these things. With such limited time, I would rather my heart beat to the drum of the M2 than the pace of my feet on the ground. Exploring the hilly twisties around Napa County in the second-generation M2 was all the vicarious leg stretching I needed.
Redesigned last year and with only a $1,000 upcharge to $64,195, including destination, this year, the longer, larger, heavier M2 performance coupe stretches more into M4 territory than it does its predecessor. Wheelbase and length have grown by 2.1 and 4.1 inches to 108.1 and 180.3 inches, respectively, over the old M2, resulting in a wheelbase that’s 4.4 inches shorter and a length 8.4 inches shorter than the BMW M4.
It retains its long-nose, short-deck proportions, but with a sculpted hood, rectangular front intakes, squared off ends, and a chunky rear, it could pass for a newfangled American muscle car instead of a once curvy Bavarian performance machine based on the BMW 2-Series.
Even its color, Zandvoort Blue, brighter than the blue in the BMW roundel, could’ve been Americanized to Napa Sky Blue.
2023 BMW M2 in Zandvoort Blue
The extra size adds at least 200 pounds to 3,814 pounds total, making more work for the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 adopted from the M4. Here it makes 453 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, 20 hp shy of the M4 but 48 hp more than the outgoing M2. With the standard 6-speed manual, a sweet gearbox that’s neither too rigid nor too loose, and complemented by a short but firm clutch pedal, the rear-wheel-drive M2 peels to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, according to BMW.
2023 BMW M2
The no-cost 8-speed automatic transmission gets the performance edge with a 0-60 mph sprint of 3.9 seconds. Since those times might not seem so quick in the electric age, understand that the M2 is still all about the feels. It may not rocket off the line, but once peak torque hits at 2,650 rpm there’s an unbridled wildness to it that keeps building through second then third gear to above legal speed limits. It felt quicker than quoted, and once unleashed on the well-paved single lane highways winding through wine country, it tempted me to keep going, to ignore my responsibilities, and live in the now. It’s that kind of escape.
2023 BMW M2
Aided by a near 50/50 weight distribution, its supreme grip comes in part from the active rear differential but more from the staggered wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires (275/35ZR19 in front, 285/30ZR20 in back). The end snaps back into line as quickly as it gets loose, enough to goose a thrill without losing control.
Toggling between M drive mode (tunes the engine from Efficient to Sport+, and the chassis, steering, and brake feel from Comfort to Sport) and the standard setting, I preferred the engine, steering, and brake in Sport, and the chassis in Comfort. That setting, as well as the programmable M buttons on the steering wheel, are probably best left for the track. I sought out roads on the navigation screen that looked like electrocardiograms, and that’s where I ran into some problems.
Less forgiving than other sports cars, the M2 demands good roads, as if the sweet sweepers of a track are an expected condition in the wild. I wound up on access roads beyond vineyards, and trundled down areas populated by pickup and utility trucks. Patching filled the gaps where full-on paving was necessary, and the M2 kangarooed over patches buckled from seasonal temperature swings. With the $9,900 Carbon Package and unforgiving carbon bucket seats, the stiff chassis challenged my sense of adventure in the netherlands beyond Napa.
2023 BMW M2
2023 BMW M2
2023 BMW M2
I abandoned the trek south near the San Pablo Bay, and unknowingly crossed back into Napa County, demarcated not just by name but by fresh pavement courtesy of some of that sweet wine tourist tax money. I found my empty loop, and sawed along until my deferred responsibilities could be deferred no longer.
By the next day, the stiff, hoppy ride and the everpresent road noise had become familiar enough back through San Francisco to the airport. I never got tired of it, even when cutting through the hilly streets of San Fran. I wished only that the climate controls matched the tactile feel of the rest of the car, instead of having to use the touchscreen.
Once removed from the new M2 and back on a plane, I appreciated all that it promised, and could easily imagine turning the daily evening commute into an adventure. It turned out, in the five total hours I got to drive the M2, and the 28 hours I was on the ground, the most exercise I got was getting in and out over the huge seat bolsters complete with built-in handles. I’d skip them, even if I planned to hit the track on the occasional weekend.
It’s best to stay nestled in the M2, where it gives you every excuse to do whatever the hell you want.
BMW provided the M2 excuse for Motor Authority to present this firsthand report.
