This is the NEW BMW M2 – 454bhp of BMW M Power for £61,495

The new BMW M2 arrives sporting a healthy 454bhp, aggressive looks, new tech and prices starting at £61,495.

It’s almost exactly seven years to the day that the first BMW M2 arrived as BMW reached lower in to its model range to deliver an M car, sporting butch looks and 365bhp for £44k.

It was followed by the M2 Competition (effectively replacing the M2) in 2018, sporting 404bhp and a £50k price tag, and in 2019 the M2 CS arrived to take things further with 444bhp and a whopping £75k ask.

Now it’s time for a new BMW M2, and in regular guise (doubtless more powerful models will follow) it bests the old M2 CS with 454bhp, although the starting point on price is a chunk less than the old M2 CS at £61,495.

In terms of looks, the new M2 looks like an M240i on steroids, with bulges even where you wouldn’t expect bulges – although the kidney grille at least retains decorum and sensible size – statement rear diffuser and quad tailpipes.

Power comes from a 3.0-litre turbo straight-six producing 454bhp sending power to the back wheels through either a six-speed manual with auto-blip or eight-speed auto with three shift settings, good for 62mph in 4.3 seconds in the manual and 4.1 seconds in the auto.

To manage all that power going to just the back wheels the M2 has BMW’s Active Diff, as well as adaptive suspension and big six-pot brakes, as well as the option of an M Race Track Pack with carbon bucket seats and track tyres.

The M2 also comes with some of the tech found in the M3 and M4, like configurable drive modes, and there’s new M-Specific infotainment with a ‘Drift Analyser’.

The new M2 will go on sale in May 2023.