Powerful 3.0-litre N55B30T0 turbo I6 engine
Balanced chassis contributes to stable handling and excellent dynamics
Accurate steering
Effective brakes

Slight turbo lag
Interior fit and finish falls short of Audi and Porsche rivals
For DCT models, brake pedal too far to the right
Tyre roar, particularly on coarser surfaces
Intrusive electronic stability control system

Review: BMW F87 M2 Coupe (2016-17)

Overview

Commencing production in October 2015 and released in Australia in mid-2016, the BMW M2 Coupe was a compact performance coupe. Manufactured in Germany, the rear-wheel drive F87 M2 Coupe was powered by BMW’s 3.0-litre turbocharged N55B30T0 inline six-cylinder engine ; transmission options consisted of six-speed manual and seven-speed double clutch units.

F87 M2 Coupe: N55B30T0 engine

The BMW M2 Coupe’s N55B30T0 engine shared components with the BMW S55 engine – which powered the BMW F80 M3 Sedan and BMW F82 M4 Coupe – such as:

The crankshaft main bearing shells;
The pistons which had their top ring optimised for the use of grey-cast iron liners; and,
High-performance spark plugs with an elevated heat rating.

To minimise fuel consumption, the BMW M2 Coupe had an Automatic Start/Stop function, BMW’s ‘Brake Energy Regeneration’ and on-demand operation of ancillary units. Over the combined EU test cycle, fuel consumption was 7.9 litres per 100 km with the double clutch transmission (DCT) and 8.3 litres per 100 km with the manual transmission.

The BMW M2 Coupe could accelerate from rest to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds when fitted with the DCT; with the manual transmission, 4.5 seconds was required. Top speed for the BMW M2 Coupe was electronically-limited to 250 km/h, though the optional ‘M Driver’s Package’ increased the limit to 270 km/h.

BMW F87 M2 Coupe specifications
	Engine	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
BMW M2 Coupe Pure	3.0-litre N55B30T0 turbo petrol I6	6sp man.	272 kW at 6500 rpm	465 Nm at 1400-5560 rpm
BMW M2 Coupe	3.0-litre N55B30T0 turbo petrol I6	6sp man., 7sp DCT	272 kW at 6500 rpm	465 Nm at 1400-5560 rpm

Body and dimensions

Compared to the BMW F22 Coupe , the F87 M2 Coupe was 36 mm longer (at 4468 mm), 80 mm wider (1854 mm), 8 mm lower (1410 mm) and had a 3 mm longer wheelbase (2693 mm). Furthermore, the F87 M2 Coupe had a drag coefficient of 0.35 Cd.

Suspension and steering

According to BMW, the F87 M2 Coupe shared its lightweight aluminium double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle with the BMW F80 M3 Sedan and BMW F82 M4 Coupe .

The BMW M2 Coupe had electromechanical power steering with BMW’s ‘Servotronic’ which varied power assistance according to vehicle speed and the drive mode selected (Comfort or Sport/Sport+). Furthermore, the M2 Coupe had a turning circle of 11.7 metres.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the BMW F87 M2 Coupe included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full length curtain airbags (i.e. for front and rear occupants), ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, corner braking control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters. For the M2 Coupe, the electronic stability control system (BMW’s ‘Dynamic Stability Control’) has an ‘M Dynamic Mode’ (MDM) which allows wheel slip for ‘moderate, controlled drifts on the track’.

As standard, the BMW F87 M2 Coupe was also equipped with the following technologies –

Forward Collision and Pedestrian Warning system with city braking function: used a camera to monitor traffic and obstacles up to 50 metres ahead of the vehicle. If the distance to an object ahead decreased such that there was a risk of collision, the driver received warnings (visual and audible) and the braking system was primed. At speeds between 10 km/h and 60 km/h, the ‘city braking’ function could autonomously apply the brakes with maximum braking force to prevent or minimise the severity of a collision;
Lane Departure Warning: operating at speeds above 70 km/h, Lane Departure Warning used a camera to monitor lane markings up to 50 metres ahead. If the system detected that the vehicle had unintentionally crossed a lane marking, the driver would be warned via steering wheel vibrations;
An ‘Attentiveness Assistant’ which monitored driver behaviour for signs of fatigue and, if detected, provided a warning;
BMW Intelligent Emergency Call: automatically transmitted vehicle accident information and called the BMW ConnectedDrive Call Centre for assistance; emergency services would then be informed by the call centre if required; and,
BMW TeleServices: enabled service-related vehicle data to be automatically transmitted to the driver’s preferred service dealer and for vehicle diagnostics to be transmitted to the Roadside Assistance Centre for immediate assessment over the phone.

Wheels and brakes

The BMW M2 Coupe had 19-inch aluminium forged wheels (9.0J x 19-inch front and 10.0J x 19-inch rear), fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/35 ZR19 93Y front and 265/35 ZR19 98Y rear tyres.

The M2 Coupe had 380 mm diameter perforated front brake discs with four-piston fixed calipers and 370 mm diameter rear brake discs with double-piston fixed calipers. For these compound brakes, the brake disc ring was perforated, inner-vented and made from grey-cast iron; to reduce mass, the brake disc hub was made from aluminium.

Features: BMW F87 M2 Coupe Pure

As standard, the BMW F87 M2 Coupe Pure was fitted with BMW’s ‘Professional’ navigation system with an 8.8-inch display, 3D maps, DVD drive, 20GB storage for audio files, voice controller, iDrive touch controller and internet functionality.

Other features for the BMW M2 Coupe Pure included a 205 watt HiFi sound system with seven speakers, digital radio tuner (DAB+), CD player, MP3-compatibility, auxiliary inputs (3.5mm/USB/iPod), Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming, M sports seats with black Dakota leather upholstery and blue contrast stitching, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, cruise control with braking function, bi-xenon headlights with washers, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera, dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a 60/40 split and folding rear seat backrest, an M sports steering wheel and M gearshift lever, remote central locking, power adjustable and heated door mirrors with folding function, power windows, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, Alcantara for the door cards and centre console, LED interior lighting, ‘porous carbon fibre’ interior trim, a 12 volt power outlet, tyre pressure monitoring, a trip computer and an immobiliser.

Features: BMW F87 M2 Coupe

Compared to the BMW M2 Coupe Pure, the M2 Coupe featured a 360 watt harman/kardon surround sound system with twelve speakers and digital amplifier, a power adjustable and heated front seats, driver’s seat memory settings, a proximity key with exterior door handle lighting (BMW’s ‘Comfort Access System’), adaptive headlights with variable light distribution and cornering lights, BMW Selective Beam (anti-glare high-beam assistant) and a remote control alarm system.

Active M Differential

As standard, the BMW M2 Coupe was fitted with an electronically controlled, a multi-plate limited-slip differential (BMW’s ‘Active M Differential’). Locking force for the Active M Differential can be varied from 0 to 100 per cent based on steering angle, throttle position, brake pressure, engine torque, wheel speed and yaw rate to optimise traction. On low traction surfaces and aggressive cornering, the Active M Differential could operate proactively and apply lock before wheel spin could occur. Furthermore, full locking power of 2500 Nm could be applied within 150 ms.