About a month ago, Carwow orchestrated a massive drag race between all generations of the M5 and now they’ve done the exact same with the M2. For this showdown, they’ve managed to get a hold of four different M2s plus their predecessor, the iconic 1 Series M Coupe. Although we sadly don’t get to see all five cars fighting in a drag race together, the separate runs are definitely worth a watch.
In the first comparison, the 1M is pitted against the standard M2 and the M2 Competition from the F87 era. Unsurprisingly, the M2C was declared the overall winner and qualified for the next round in which it had to face stronger opponents. The M2 CS F87 and the new M2 G87 were lined up for the straight-line acceleration test to see which M2 flavor is the quickest overall.
It should be mentioned that as with the 1M, the M2 CS had a manual gearbox, so it had a significant handicap against the dual-clutch M2 Competition and the latest M2 with its torque-converter automatic. All three boast 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque but it’s the new M2 that has the most horsepower, at 460 hp. It gives it a 10-hp advantage over the M2 CS and a more substantial 50 hp compared to the M2 Competition. However, at a rather porky 1,725 kilograms (3,802 pounds), G87 is a lot heavier than those two cars.
The latest M2 managed to win the drag races but the old M2 CS had its revenge in the subsequent rolling race to the half-mile during which changing gears was less of an issue compared to a standing start. Surprisingly, the G87 won the brake test from 100 mph (161 km/h) by needing the shortest distance to come to a full stop, despite being by far the chubbiest car of the trio.
In 2023, BMW is still tweaking the M2 formula as spy shots have revealed a new CS version is in the works. It’ll be released in 2024 and should have over 500 hp sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission. Come 2026, rumor has it the M2 will finally get xDrive, which would certainly make it the quickest M2 of them all.
Source: Carwow / YouTube
