SPY PICS: BMW M2 sheds more camo

BMW's piping-hot new M2 Coupe has been spotted for the first time at the Nurburgring, revealing more of its production bodywork.

The effective replacement for BMW's long-lamented 1 Series M Coupe isn't expected to break official cover until late next year.

Meantime, the Bavarian brand continues to test the durability of its smallest sports coupe, which can be seen here with the more aggressive front-end design with which it will roll into showrooms.

The M2 spied previously on public roads in Germany wore a standard front bumper and fascia, but could not conceal the production model's M-specific wide quad exhaust outlets.

Once again, this prototype has wider rear wheel tracks than the existing M235i Coupe, as well as dark 10-spoke alloy wheels that look similar to the 19-inch hoops worn by the M4, and beefier cross-drilled brake discs with bigger callipers.

Powering the M2 will be a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine codenamed N55B30T0. It's expected to slam down more than the 240kW of the M235i, but less than the M4's 317kW, meaning a power output of around 270-280kW is likely.

That should see the M2 comfortably better the 4.8-second 0-100km/h sprint of the M235i Coupe and -- combined with sharper suspension, bigger brakes and the M4's active differential – offer one of sharpest driving experiences this side of the M4.

But while it will deliver M4-style thrills for far less money, the first M2 could also be the last rear-wheel drive BMW sports coupe to slot in below the M4.