BMW M2 101 pkt1
Bruce Newton13 Sept 2017
NEWS

FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: BMW sticks with rear-drive

2 Series family avoids FWD fate

BMW has thumbed its nose at accepted small car wisdom and will retain a rear-wheel drive layout for its next generation 2 Series coupe and convertible.

Pleasingly, the obvious and joyous spin-off of that decision is the second generation of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful BMW M2 will continue the 'two-turning and two-burning' tradition.

The debate over whether the 2 Series would follow the 1 Series and the 2 Series Active Tourer to the front/all-wheel drive UKL1 architecture has been intense within BMW.

But, speaking to Australian media at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Dr Klaus Frolich, BMW board member for development, made it clear the decision had been made to retain the traditional north-south engine and rear-drive layout for the next generation of BMW’s compact sports car family, which is due in 2020.

“I think it (M2) is such a good car, it has such a success in the market, we can’t make enough cars and we are running out of engines at the moment,” said Dr Frolich.

“I think it would be a very good idea to continue that legacy (current 2 Series).”

BMW M2 103 r9ey

Priced from $90,500 (plus on-road costs) in Australia, the current M2 is powered by a 3.0-litre twin turbo inline six-cylinder engine which makes 272kW and 465Nm.

Driving the rear wheels via seven-speed sequential transmission, it accelerates from zero to 100km/h in an M4-threatening 4.3 sec.

The M2 won motoring.com.au’s Australia’s Best Driver’s Car award in 2016.

Dr Frolich’s declaration was greeted with enthusiasm by BMW Australia boss Marc Werner, who was sitting in on the roundtable when the revelation was made.

“As far as rear-wheel drive is concerned, you heard it from the horse’s mouth today, so that’s interesting,” he said.

“If that’s going to happen I think it’s the right way forward.”

The M2 is now so popular in Australia it accounts for almost 50 per cent of all sales of the high-performance M-car brand (not counting the lesser M performance models).

“I think the company made a very strategic move to launch the M2 and it is probably one of my favourite cars in the BMW line-up overall,” said Werner.

“We certainly grew our BMW M volume since we launched the M2 in Australia.”

BMW RANGEDAY M2 642

Werner also confirmed there would be more derivations of the M2 to be launched before the new generation arrives.

“The company has clearly decided there will be regular impulses on the M2, as we have seen on the M3 and M4.”

The first of those will be an update within two weeks, along with the rest of the 2 Series range and the 1 Series .

But further out there is expectation a powered-up M2 GTS will be launched, while there has also been chat about an M2 CS or CSL.

Dr Frolich said he had been determined to make the M2’s dynamic behaviour as “pure” as possible during its development process.

“On M2 it was so important for me to have a fun to drive car, even in normal driving and not only on the racetrack.

“And, it should be affordable, not a high-tech super-techy thing, but an honest sports car.”

Share this article
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.