­­­­­­2002 – M2: The legend lives on

NEARLY 45 years after the launch of the legendary 2002 Turbo, it has grasped the status of Automotive Icon. 

The leap in engineering taken by BMW, as well as their foresight in creating such an awesome car has set its place in more ways than one, as what BMW heritage stands for. The 2002 Turbo is the car that stirs envy in all BMW fans. 

The countless touches that make the car so unique, from the bulged fender arches to the mirrored air dam script, not to mention the outstanding performance for its time, sets the 2002 Turbo apart from any other BMW ever built… Or does it?

Can the spirit of such a car be improved? A car that straddles the boundary between comfort and practicality versus mindless fun? Yes, it can!

That compact high-performance BMW sports car that was already causing heads to turn and hearts to flutter over 40 years ago, has been reincarnated for today’s roads. Indeed, the BMW 2002 turbo perfectly encapsulated BMW’s resolution to deliver outstanding dynamics, exceptional agility and optimum car control, as it does today with the unveiling of BMW’s new M2. 

With its high-performance six-cylinder in-line engine, rear-wheel-drive agility, lightweight aluminium M Sport suspension and extrovert styling, the new BMW M2 Coupe has all the ingredients to stand beside its ancestor, and deliver the last word in driving pleasure.

Design

A single glance is all it takes to pick the new M2 Coupe out as a member of the M family, with its ‘in your face’ styling. Inspired by models from  BMW motor racing, the new M2 Coupe makes no secret of its performance potential. The low front apron with large air intakes, muscular flanks with characteristic M gills, 19-inch aluminium wheels in familiar M double-spoke design and low, wide rear with M-specific twin-tailpipe exhaust system, all play impressive roles.

Performance figures

The newly-developed, three-litre six-cylinder in-line engine in the M2 deploys cutting-edge M TwinPower Turbo technology to develop 370bhp at 6,500rpm and still returns around 33mpg. And in so doing, it lays down a marker in the high-performance compact sports car segment. 

The same applies to power delivery. Peak torque of 343lb-ft can be increased to as much as 369lb-ft in short bursts with ‘overboost’. All of which enables the new M2 Coupe with optional seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission and Launch Control to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in just 4.3 seconds. However, top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h (155mph).