The BMW M2 Competition just officially dropped and it’s something fans have been waiting a long time for. Ever since the release of the regular BMW M2 a few years back, fans have been wanting to see what it would be like if BMW really let it loose and gave it some serious go-fast tech. Now it has, as the M2 Competition is significantly more powerful than the standard car, features sharper handling and more drama. BMW also decided to tweak its design and styling a bit more than usual for a Competition upgrade. The M2 Competition has been given some subtle updates on the outside and inside, over the standard car. So let’s take a look at both and see which one looks better.
Continue Reading Below
From the front, the new BMW M2 Competition gets two new visual changes, both of which are quite subtle. There’s a new lower front lip, that seems to have three vents in it for some reason. I guess it looks more aggressive and it’s kind of cool. Just seems a bit superfluous. The more noticeable change to the front is the new Kidney Grille design, which is not only larger but more angular and sharper. Both grilles also connect in the middle, which looks a bit odd. To be perfectly honest, I like the simple look of the standard M2 at the front. But if you want something with a bit more anger, the M2 Competition will work perfect.
The Competition version also gets new side mirrors, which have been borrowed from the BMW M4. They actually look good and are more interesting than the standard 2 Series mirrors that the regular car wears. It also gets new 19″ wheels with a “Y-spoke” design. They’re a bit big, so ride quality might suffer, but they look good and I like them more than the standard M2’s wheels. Inside those wheels lie new brakes, with an optional brake package that consists of 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers out back. The calipers are also painted silver, which looks good, as it’s more subtle than the normal blue.
Out back, the only real differences are the new black exhaust pipes and the black “M2” badge on the trunk. Aside from that, it’s really pretty much the same. That’s no bad thing, though, as the rear is the M2’s best angle. You can really see how muscular it is and how flared its wheel wells are from the back.
Inside, the only real differences are the new seats. Rather than the standard 2 Series seats that the normal M2 had, the BMW M2 Competition gets the seats from a BMW M4, with some blue stitching and illuminated “M2” logos in the seatbacks. While they’re just M4 seats, they do look and feel significantly better than the standard M2’s seats, which are the same ones you get in BMW 220d.
Overall, I think the new BMW M2 Competition is a bit of a mixed bag of results, visually. Some things are big improvements over the standard car while others are a bit of a miss. For instance, the new wheels, mirrors and seats are all great, welcome additions. But the new Kidney Grilles I’m not so sure about and those front lip vents just seem a bit unnecessary. Having said that, the M2 Competition certainly has more visual drama than the standard car and we can’t wait to get our hands on it. If you like the M2 but wish it was 20-30 percent more exciting, this M2 Competition is probably for you.
Wow the seats make a HUGE difference
Something borrowed, something blue ^^
need to see one with the old style wheels
The M2 Competition’s wheels and blacked-out kidneys are meh.
And the silver/gray paint is pretty dull as well. Mugello Red or Papaya Orange would be an eye catcher.
Actually it sounds like the M Sport seats and the 19″ wheels are both options and not standard…
Well now I’m not sure. The global press release refers to these parts as optional, while the U.S. press release refers to them as standard.
I’m real glad for the visual upgrade. Just enough… no need to over-familiarize an already classic car with more of the same.
The new grille is supercool. Hope to see that on other models too!
Price now please… ’nuff already !
I prefer the M2 over M2C. That somewhat kidney grill is probably barrowed from Skoda design and doesn’t look good in my eyes.
Damn straight. The only thing I want in my M2 is those seats, now I won’t have to have an M4 badge on them for taking them out of an M4. The M2 will be remembered as the last classic M car (analog dials, no 500 suspension settings, classic looks, feedback and agility all in a car that can take you to work and do the shopping as well). Cannot wait to hear the price. :D
Plus engine.
I’m a fan of the traditional kidney grilles, but I gotta say, the new design makes the current M2 look a little plain. Of course it’s helped by the new color, new wheels, new fascia and LCI headlights – (not sure why the LCI M2 wasn’t used for this comparison) – but I think the Competition is definitely the more modern look.
That had been our opinion, since the oldest times. This vertical and angular BMW kidney in glossy black reminds me very much of Skoda’s “double kidney” (grille) in high gloss black and in optical connection with each other.
I like that this blog is not a cheerleader for anything that BMW designs.
I find the whole concept of Competition trims just diluting the M brand further..
Yes, improved vehicle dilutes brand.
Ok.
The icon headlights and revised fangs on the competition M2 make the M2 almost goofy looking in comparison. I’ve said it from the beginning, I don’t know why BMW designed the fangs to be so huge – almost disproportionate to the car. It may work on X5/X6M but not on a car this size.
I never understood why they put these boring regular leather seats in the M2. After all it’s supposed to be a “real” M Car, and M Cars have been known for having gorgeous seats. For instance those in the E36 M3 are simply gorgeous. I’m really glad they put the M4 seats in the M2 Competition.
I do like the new evolution of the Kidney Grilles! It’s something new and I just think it looks really nice. This is what we’re going to see on most Bimmers from now on, so we better get used to it. ;)
Also, I personally really like those little vents on the front lip. I think they look very cool, aggressive and I don’t know, perhaps they may have some benefits for the airflow? I don’t care if they don’t though. LOL
I also like the wheels a lot more than those on the standard M2. I never really liked that they took the same wheels as on the M4. Usually they don’t borrow wheels from another M Car.
I think it’s great that there’s now the ability to change settings separately like in the bigger M’s. But where is the regular switch to choose between Comfort/Sport/Sport+?
Overall, I really think it’s great what they did to the M2 Competition. Although I wish they had made it lighter instead of heavier… Or at least about the same. 56 kg (or how much was it) isn’t that much, but still.
That colour though!!! WOW!! It’s simply gorgeous. All the lines and details are much clearer now, I thought I liked the blue, but now that I see this… This is definitely the colour I’d go for. Future classic, no doubt.
Taillights are clearly different, or is it just pre-LCI M2 presented on the pics?