Peter Lyon
August 6, 2023
The new 2023 BMW M2 finally made its official premiere in Malaysia this weekend at the M4NTAP Festival in Sepang after opening its order books earlier in the year. According to BMW’s M division, this will be the brand’s final M car.
The small performance coupe is offered in two trim levels in Malaysia, with prices ranging from RM598,800 for the base M2 to RM642,800 for the ‘Pro Package.’ Both prices include the extended five-year unlimited mileage warranty and exclude insurance.
Powering the new BMW M2 is a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine, which also powers the M3 and M4, and produces 460 hp and 550 Nm of torque. This allows the new M2 to jump from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds, before reaching a governed top speed of 250 km/h.
Helping to attain that quick launch time is the sole transmission choice available in Malaysia—the eight-speed M Steptronic automatic gearbox. The M2’s top speed can be increased to 285 km/h with the addition of the optional retrofittable M Driver’s Package.
In the braking department, six-piston front calipers and single rears provide all the stopping power you need. Fitted as standard, the M2’s M Drive Professional system controls the M Traction Control system and the Active M Differential on the rear axle.
As far as its exterior styling goes, it’s a mixed bag really—you either love it or you don’t. The new M2 has an aggressively penned front end featuring a frameless kidney grille with horizontal black bars, squared-off lower air intakes, a power dome on the bonnet, and flared wheel arches. But then, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the.…
Inside, the M2 maintains the minimalist yet driver-focused cockpit that BMW has made famous, highlighted by the BMW Curved Display, which integrates a huge 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment display and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Other interior highlights include a head-up display, three-zone climate control system, wireless charging tray, M leather steering wheel with red M Mode buttons, and Powered M Sport seats with side bolsters and illuminated M logos on the headrests.
OUR THOUGHTS
While its exterior styling might be a little too edgy for some, the M2’s performance and handling package speaks for itself. Boasting 460hp and a 0-100 sprint time of just over 4 seconds, and huge brakes to pull up the car effortlessly, the last of the internal combustions M cars is a fitting tribute to a dying breed.
