When the G82 BMW M4 was first revealed, its weight was a massive talking point. At its heaviest (Convertible, xDrive), it tips the scales at over 4,000 lbs, which is enormously heavy for what is supposed to be a lightweight performance car from BMW Motorsport. When fans saw that, their desires instantly shifted toward the then-upcoming BMW M2, a car they hoped would be a return to lightweight simplicity. Except, now that it’s here, we know that it’s not.
The BMW M2 is a heavy car for its size. It does not look like a car that’s an average American driver away from being two tons. However, the BMW M2 is actually about the same weight as the M4 and, in some cases, almost exactly the same. At its lightest, the BMW M2 checks in at 3,814 lbs, with a carbon fiber roof and manual transmission. The BMW M4 with a carbon roof and a manual is around the same.
However, things can get heavy quickly for both cars. If you don’t spec the carbon roof and get the automatic transmission in the BMW M2, you’re looking at almost 3,900 lbs. That’s where a car of the M2’s size is considered heavy. While the BMW M4 can get even heavier than that, by adding all-wheel drive, it’s still remarkable to see just how close in weight the M2 is to its older sibling. But how can that be?
As it turns out, the BMW M2 isn’t much smaller than the M4. Both cars share the same CLAR platform, only the M4 has a bit more length in between the wheelbase. The longer M4 is 4.794 meters long, while the M2 is 4.580 meters long, so the M2 is about a hand’s length shorter. Both cars are exactly the same width, 1.887 meters wide without mirrors, likely thanks to the shared subframes. And the BMW M2 is actually taller, at 1.403 meters tall, versus the 1.393 meter height of the M4.
According to BMW M, you can’t feel the heft of the M2 from behind the wheel. Apparently, the new BMW M2 is still a great car to drive and fans shouldn’t be too concerned. We will have our own review coming out on April 2nd. BMW has proven time and time again that it knows how to push the limits of physics. Still, it is a bit odd to think that the M2—the car that’s supposed to be BMW’s purest, smallest, most driver-focused sports car—is as heavy as an M4.
