SPY PICS: BMW M2

BMW only recently unleashed its M4 Coupe, but the Bavarian car-maker is already well on the path to honing its next two-door tearaway.

These Automedia spy pics provide the best look yet at BMW’s upcoming M2 Coupe, which will fill the wheel-tracks of the short-lived but much-loved 1 Series M Coupe.

Like its spiritual predecessor, the M2 is distinguished by bulging fenders and the customary four tailpipes that denote it as an M Haus offering.

In fact, the overall look is not too dissimilar to the M235i customer racer revealed at the end of last year.

Look closely and you’ll notice this prototype has wider rear tracks than the existing M235i, and the stoppers are also oversized, cross-drilled discs with beefy looking callipers. Meanwhile, the dark-hued 10-spoke rims appear identical to the 19-inch hoops worn by the M4.

This prototype wears a standard front bumper and fascia, but it’s believed these will be usurped by bespoke items further down the development cycle.

Precise details relating to the powertrain are still not to hand, but Euro sources suggest it will be a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-pot codenamed N55B30T0.

Expect this unit to eke out significantly more than the 240kW of the M235i Coupe, but less than the 317kW thumped out by its M4 big brother. A figure in the 270-280kW bracket seems a reasonable guess at this stage.

Given its added grunt, the M2 should comfortably better the 4.8-second 0-100km/h sprint of the M235i Coupe, while top speed will be electronically governed to 250km/h. That said, drivers will likely be able to raise that limited top speed via an optional M Driver’s Package (as per the M3 and M4).

It is also expected that elements from the M4, including that car’s bespoke suspension and active differential, will also be brought over to the M2.

Reports suggest the BMW M2 will be revealed and released later next year.