When BMW announced the 2 Series Gran Coupe, the future of the M2 looked uncertain. Luckily, it looks like the next M2 will be derived from the forthcoming Z4-based 2 Series coupe, not the 2 Series Gran Coupe, which is built on front-wheel-drive architecture, according to a new report from Autocar.
Citing anonymous “insiders,” Autocar reports the new M2 will reportedly start with around 420 horsepower. That’s a 15-hp bump over the current M2 Competition and a 55-hp advantage over the base M2 that the Competition model replaced. Much like the current M2 Competition, the next M2 will get M4 power. It’ll use a detuned version of the 3.0-liter inline-six that’s heading to the next M3 and M4, which you can currently find in the X3 M and X4 M.
Plus, Autocar reports that the M2 will continue to offer a manual transmission in its next generation. That’s great news, but don’t assume that a manual is destined for the U.S. market. The Z4, for instance, offers a manual in Europe, but not here. Still, BMW has historically been better about offering manuals in its American-market M cars than its more pedestrian models. The other transmission option will reportedly be the ubiquitous ZF 8-speed automatic.
If all of this sounds like good news for the M brand, brace yourself. Though it won’t be the only option, Autocar suggests that BMW will make a four-door, all-wheel-drive M2 Gran Coupe on the current Gran Coupe’s transverse-engined platform. It won’t be the only option, but a front-wheel-drive-based M product looks likely.
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