BMW M2 Coupe
Australia's Best Driver's Car

1st

There wasn't a judge among us that didn't come away from ABDC 2016 impressed at the M2's ability. Poised, powerful and with racer-like communication levels, BMW's newest and most affordable M car recalls an era where chassis development kept pace with driveline performance (think of the 1973 2002 Turbo or the 1986 E30 M3). Rarely overwhelmed by its engine, the M2's knack for maximising every kiloWatt makes it as crisp on the road as it is on track – a sure-fire recipe for excellence at Australia's Best Driver's Car.

Fresh from its launch at Targa Tasmania the M2 felt well primed for its role in Australia's Best Driver's Car. And that's how it turned out – taking the win in the second ever ABDC by a solitary point over a car well over twice its price.

Thrown in the mix with more powerful, more expensive cars, BMW's compact coupe relied on its dextrous combination of mechanical grip and turbocharged torque to head the pack, running neck and neck with the very best on test to stamp its place in our judges' psyche.

Although understated in Mineral Grey Metallic (one of only four colours available), the M2's aggressive frontal treatment and broad haunches signal the clear performance potential of this pocket rocket. And its sonorous M TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder engine and precise six-speed manual transmission delivered on the promise.

BMW claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.5sec for the M2 manual (4.3sec for the auto, matching the Audi RS 3), but of more relevance is the six's effortless real-world performance, talented on-throttle handling and proper shove-in-the-back roll-on acceleration.

Our critics praised the flexibility of the M2's 3.0-litre turbo six. The ability to access and fully exploit its 272kW (at 6500rpm) and 465Nm (1400-5560rpm, and up to 500Nm on overboost) places it in rare company.

One of eight rear-wheel drives on test, the M2's wide rear track, (limited-slip) Active M Differential and chubby 265/35ZR19 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres tames the expected wheel spin and maximises the car's pace.

In ideal conditions in the hands of V8 Supercar racer Luke Youlden, the M2 managed a Baskerville lap time (1:00.588) bettered only by the might of the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S (1:00.396) and long-honed track ability of the Porsche 911 Carrera S (0:58.630). The next closest competitor was almost a second slower.

As was the case on track, it was the M2's cornering tenacity that stood tall on the road. On at-times broken and greasy surfaces, the M2's grip and communication saw its electronic nannies seldom provoked.

Accurate and beautifully weighted steering allowed the front-end to cleanly telegraph its intent to drivers' hands, while the perfectly executed throttle-blip during downshifts made even the most hamfisted among us rev-perfect.

The M2's indefatigable braking also survived the week unfazed – on track and road. Indeed, outright performance and pedal feel was again ranked by our judges as equal best in field.

The driving position struck a chord too, only one critic feeling the pedal box was skewed too far outboard for left-foot braking, but not heel-toe operation (which is arguably redundant anyway).

The classic, unpretentious layout of the dashboard and instrument panel disguises the technology on offer beneath, but at the same time allows at-a-glance interrogation of the M2's primary gauges.

In our factory-order M2 manual (a no-cost option, and as opposed to the manual M2 Pure 'stripper') the big-ticket infotainment niceties came as standard. So were seat heaters, sporty power-adjustable front pews and dual-zone climate-control. No doubt the built-in lap-time and GoPro app will also appeal to track-day enthusiasts...

The soundtrack of the Beemer's stirring six-cylinder engine was engaging but not overstated, falling between the overt bark of the F-TYPE S AWD's V6 and the understated basso profondo of the force-fed XR6 Sprint. There was only a whisper of turbo plumbing evident: the mechanical serenade and rousing quad-outlet exhaust dominated the on-road orchestra.

Surprisingly, the M2 wasn't at all uncomfortable in the ride department either. Our referees called it the most 'liveable' of the hard-chargers gathered. It was, however, let down slightly by excessive road noise from the front-end and poor attenuation of tyre noise on all but the smoothest surfaces.

The value-for-money equation of this 'mini muscle-car' is undoubted and, with a limited initial allocation of just 300 cars for Australia, that's why anyone wanting one will have to wait for more than six months.

However, bang for your bucks is not a facet of ABDC judging, which explains the almost level footing between M2 and 911 in the final judging.

While the M2 wins Australia's Best Driver's Car for 2016 on points (one point, in fact), the real measure of the appeal of BMW's best and most affordable M car is that eight of our 13 judges scored it as their top choice. It's a cracking car...

2016 BMW M2 pricing and specifications:
Price: $98,900 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 272kW/465Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 185g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: N/A

motoring.com.au’s 2016 Australia’s Best Driver’s Car

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