Targa Tasmania from inside BMW's new M2

Targa Tasmania needs no introduction. Having just celebrated its 25th running, the world's longest tarmac rally takes in some of the world's greatest driving roads, and this year comprised 38 competitive special stages totalling 503km over six days.

Last week's silver anniversary event attracted the biggest ever field, with 382 entries spread over nine classes including everything from a Viper ACR to motoring.com.au's own Megane RS, both in the premier GT2 category.

In between, there was a multitude of old and new Porsche 911s, local and American muscle cars including the new Ford Mustang and HSV GTS, the obligatory swarm of Mitsubishi Evos and Subaru STIs, and a plethora of souped-up Holden Commodores.

Throw in an array of classic and vintage sports car icons like Datsun 240Zs, Mazda RX-7s, Triumph TR7, Porsche 944s, Nissan Skylines, Monaros, Toranas, a 1936 Desoto Special and even a 1938 Dodge Speedster Special, and Targa Tassie is sex for the eyes of any historic performance car lover. There was even a McLaren P1 there – albeit not racing.

This year's event also saw the field led away by a Flag Car driven by the winner of the first two Targa Tasmania rallies Greg Crick, in a replica of the Honda NSX that took him to victory in 1992 and 1993.

The Tasmanian racing and motor industry identity will again be a guest judge on the 2016 motoring.com.au Australia's Best Driver's Car sports car compare, which takes place on the same roads next week.

Making it just as relevant to new-car fans – if they can afford the pricy entry fee – is the Targa Tour, open to punters in their own road cars and again including a procession of Porsche owners, some driving new Macans instead of their 911s.

Unlike the competition cars, tour competitors are untimed, restricted to 130km/h and require no safety gear. Otherwise they drive the same closed-road stages and transport sections as the racers, starting in Launceston and finishing in Hobart after taking in almost 2000km of the Apple Isle's best roads.

With this year's Targa Tassie coinciding with BMW's centenary and the arrival of its first M2 Coupe in Australia, it was the perfect opportunity for the Bavarian brand to showcase its newest and most affordable M car.

Of course, it also took plenty of commitment, bravery and money from BMW to make it happen. Organising four brand-new M2s, a fleet of support vehicles, eight writers and co-drivers and a host of support staff is no easy, nor inexpensive feat.

And then the actual organisation of the rally itself. Road closures, police, cajoling residents, looking after competitors (most of which are repeat offenders -- including Geoff Taylor, who lined up for his 25th event this year) and hundreds of volunteers, 18 of which celebrated their 25th Targa Tassie in 2016.

As Targa Director Mark Perry says, it's the people as much as the roads that make Targa special.

“The event has a life because it continues to fulfil people's dreams. It gives people the opportunity to do something unique in the world. It’s unique because of the combination of what Tasmanian has to offer and the acceptance it has achieved.

"The reason the event has survived is because of the goodwill of Tasmania – the officials and fans who allow this to happen every year.

“It gets into people’s blood and is now part of Tasmania’s DNA. It has become an icon for the state – part of our culture."

Of that we have no doubt. I've never seen so many welcoming faces greet a parade of fast, expensive cars flying past their doorsteps. It's very clear the locals love this event as much as the competitors, volunteers and businesses. For many of the latter, it's their biggest trading week of the year, so the event is also a vital economic benefit in the southern state.

Kids, farmers, families and shop keepers alike, they cheered and waved in their droves on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. And there were big, excited crowds at the official Launceston welcome, the Hobart presentation and all of the lunch and evening stops in between – including the traditional Georgetown street super special stage at the end of Day One.

In short, there's nothing quite like Targa Tassie when it comes to spectator involvement, and the camaraderie among competitors and punters is unlike any other motorsport event.

As for the journalists invited by BMW for the launch of the new M2, it's not every day you get to take part in one of the world's greatest tarmac rallies at the wheel of one of the finest performance cars. Ever.

For me, despite taking in only the first three days after shakedown laps at Symmons Plains raceway, the experience rates in my top five automotive events over the past 25 years -- all of which also involved a great car on an awesome piece of closed road.

No, there's nothing quite like having some of the world's toughest driving roads to yourself in a controlled environment with nobody coming the other way, even if it's limited to 130km/h. Take it from me on the vast majority of Tassie roads that’s more than enough to test man and machine.

Yes, having the whole road at your disposal takes time to get used, but trusting your co-driver when he (or she) tells you to go flat over blind crests takes longer.

And while it's as safe as can be, with a paramedic stationed every few kilometres and every car linked in real-time to rally HQ, no speed on mountain roads surrounded by trees can ever really be safe. The risk of life and limb at almost every corner is part of the adrenalin-filled challenge that is high-speed tarmac rallying.

Although most competitors go too fast to take much of it in, another attraction is the spectacular scenery, which is like shuffling a deck of postcards as you round every corner. If you've never had a driving holiday in Tassie, you're missing one of the world's greatest experiences on four wheels.

Thankfully, there was no rain on the first three days of the event, with glorious sunshine and mostly dry roads allowing us to really test the talents of the M2. And if ever there was a car tailor-made for Targa, the M2 is it.

As you can read in our full M2 review, BMW's newest and most accessible M-car never put a foot wrong during three hard days of driving, including 850km in total and 238km over 19 competitive stages.

Like the rest of the BMW fleet at Targa (including the i8 hybrid super-coupe, M4 Coupe, E46 M3 CSL and MINI JCW), the M2s copped a hammering on standard tyres and brakes, and emerged with nothing more than a few stone chips.

Repeated downhill braking torture like on day two's Sideling and Elephant Pass stages made the middle pedal go slightly soft, but the more I punished it, the more richly the M2 rewarded with endless amounts of grip, balance and torque.

Put simply, the M2 is not only more engaging than any other M car (and the best current small performance cars like the Audi RS 3 and Mercedes-AMG A 45), but the best performance you can buy right now for less than $100,000.

It might not have been quite so fun in a lesser vehicle, but classic day three stages between Launceston and Burnie like the 37km Cethana and 35km Riana would be highlights in any car — or bike — and were a great way to end our tour.

We're not sure which was more epic — the car or the event — but the M2 and Targa are without doubt a match made in heaven.

Hopefully BMW's bill shock doesn't prove fatal, because we've already blocked out the same week next year.