BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
BMW M2 Forum > M2 vs... > BMW M2 Vs BMW M235i

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      05-19-2016, 08:29 PM   #1
Giuseppe002
Private
48
Rep
63
Posts

Drives: BMW M2
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Sydney

iTrader: (0)

BMW M2 Vs BMW M235i

Hi Guys,

Yesterday I was invited to Sydney motorsport park to finally sample the BMW M2 on a race track, after months of waiting I was absolutely beside myself to finally get behind the wheel. Sydney motorsport park is a track I know well as I have done quite a few laps on this track with not only my own cars but also having been invited on numerous track events with Porsche, Audi, BMW and HSV.

What I found interesting was we were first going to sample the BMW M235i on the race track followed by laps in the BMW M2. A few months prior I had also driven the M3 and M4 in similar conditions on the same track.

First off the M235i is really a sensational car for 90% of drivers this car will provide more than enough performance as a daily driven car, whilst also having a rather good set of road manners for your mundane daily commute. The standout strength of this car was its engine and the beautiful noise it made. You would never tire of buzzing this engine to redline over and over again the sound was fantastic although i did notice ASM every so often and thought that was a little contrived but nonetheless it added to the sense of occasion. The engine was powerful, linear and unlike most turbocharged engines genuinely seemed to enjoy a big dose of revs meaning I was picking up 3rd when realistically I could have done the faster corners in 4th.
Sydney motorsport park has a decent straightaway where the M235i was seeing speeds just over 200kph before getting on the brakes to scrub off about 50kph to turn in to a fast left hander, for me this is where the M235i couldn't hide it's road biased setup the brakes felt soft and spongy after 2-3 really good stops so first off you needed more braking room than the other M's i have driven here and also in the transition from releasing the brakes to turn in the M235i would lean heavily and wanted to start to wag its tail. So you would finesse it in to the corner and then wait (hold off the throttle) till it gathered itself up and was able to be pushed on exit. This single corner really seemed to highlight the difference between the two cars.

Now for the M2 first off the engine sounded much the same but slightly angrier especially at idle and on the overrun, so for me this was still fantastic and a definite strength of the car. The engine seemed a lot like the M235i's engine but you could feel it had a little more spring in its step and it felt a little smoother at the top end, I'm not going to say it was a night and day difference between the two engines because there really wasn't but they are both amazing engines and never did the M2 feel underpowered. Right away the M2 felt a lot more agile with none of the lean angles in corners that we were getting in the M235i, it continued to go exactly where you placed it on the road it was remarkably stable, it never felt like it needed to gather itself up, it seemed to be constantly asking "where on the road would you like me to be?" as opposed to the M235i which would get you through the corner but if you wanted to change an apex of a corner you would need to have started the process much earlier in the M235i.
The M2 was managing a top speed of about 210-215kph on the straight this seemed about right as when I had the M4 on track a few months ago we were seeing about 225 - 230 kph on the straight. Now to the fast 4th gear first corner where the M235i was hard to pull up and wanted to step its rear out a little the M2 was rock solid, braking performance was sublime with very little difference in braking performance over a number of laps and into the first corner the car was super tied down no tail wagging like the M235i, no movement just went exactly where you put it. This meant i could get turned in and back on the power much faster than the M235i and this showed in the arrival speed into the following corner as I was arriving much faster and the first two laps I overshot my braking point. The M2 put a much wider smile on my face around the track it felt like it was handling all I could throw at it with ease and seemed to be encouraging me to brake later and get on the power earlier, that being said it can bite you under power but its very predictable and easy to bring back into line.
In relation to the M3 and M4, the M2 around Sydney motorsport Park although I didn't time the laps definitely seemed slower in outright pace no by much and surely not through the corners but on the straights. Under the right conditions such as a slippery track the M2 would absolutely be in with a good shot of being faster but ultimately the S55 engine is still a beast. The thing that stood out for me is the entry onto the straight is an uphill off camber left hand turn in the M3 and M4 you had to really be so precise in modulating the pedal just right so as not to torch the rear wheels and suffer down the straight. In the M2 it was much easier to manage the wheel spin coming onto the straight the ability of the chassis to put down the power from the engine is really something else. I was tailing an instructor in an M3 and our exit speeds from the corner were almost identical if not slightly in favour of the M2 but once the M3 finally gets full grip and the second turbo starts spinning it does start to pull away.
So I suppose in regards to the M2 vs M3 I feel the M2 is more M car than BMW have been for a long time as the F80 M3 has started to feel like a bit AMG like (big car, big power). So i guess it comes down to what suits you, for me the M2 is a great blend of precision and power and I'm grateful that BMW are still building cars like this for the enthusiast.

Guys sorry this was so long winded but everything I've written is just my opinion if you disagree that fine let me know why, love a good spirited debate about this sort of thing.
Cheers
Joe
Appreciate 7
      05-19-2016, 08:38 PM   #2
Prodigy.
Lieutenant Colonel
Prodigy.'s Avatar
Australia
698
Rep
1,514
Posts

Drives: ///M2
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Australia

iTrader: (0)

Awesome right up Joe, thanks for sharing, unfortunately there hasn't been any opportunities over here in the West to test out the M2 on the track let alone against the likes of the M235i and M3/4.

Do you plan on taking yours out regularly?...not long now.
Appreciate 1
      05-19-2016, 08:58 PM   #3
Giuseppe002
Private
48
Rep
63
Posts

Drives: BMW M2
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Sydney

iTrader: (0)

Hey mate,
Don't worry you won't be disappointed, but also you should be getting one of the M drive school vouchers with the car. Usually mailed out about a week after you pick up the car so you will get the chance soon.
I would love to take it out every week if i could but its becoming more and more difficult with work and family things going on. I plan on taking it to the track one every few months that should be enough to scratch the itch at least.
Appreciate 1
      05-19-2016, 08:59 PM   #4
Paul-Bracq-BMW
Moderator
Paul-Bracq-BMW's Avatar
Australia
4087
Rep
1,973
Posts

Drives: 1981 323i, sports M5, LSD
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Australia

iTrader: (0)

Great hands on review!
__________________
1981 323i, 143 Kashmir-Metallic, 0094 Pergament, Sports M5, LSD.
Appreciate 1
      05-20-2016, 12:45 AM   #5
Robin_NL
S0THPAW
Robin_NL's Avatar
8680
Rep
7,846
Posts

Drives: HS M2 Competition
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Netherlands

iTrader: (0)

IMHO Just four words for this review: Post Of The Day.

Cheers
Robin
Appreciate 1
      05-20-2016, 01:14 AM   #6
Giuseppe002
Private
48
Rep
63
Posts

Drives: BMW M2
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Sydney

iTrader: (0)

Thanks Robin appreciate it
Appreciate 0
      05-20-2016, 02:01 AM   #7
Nine Lives
Captain
Nine Lives's Avatar
United Kingdom
602
Rep
886
Posts

Drives: Austin Maxi
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

Great comparison,thanks.

It's obvious where BMW have spent the money with the M2,more power is just the cherry on a very nicely set up cake
Appreciate 1
      05-20-2016, 02:14 AM   #8
koastal
Captain
Australia
376
Rep
668
Posts

Drives: F87
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Oz

iTrader: (0)

Nice review

Sounds like you were giving them a proper go
Appreciate 0
      05-20-2016, 02:47 AM   #9
Karmic Man
Lieutenant Colonel
Karmic Man's Avatar
Australia
1995
Rep
1,758
Posts

Drives: M2C
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: World

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Giuseppe002 View Post
Hi Guys,

Yesterday I was invited to Sydney motorsport park to finally sample the BMW M2 on a race track, after months of waiting I was absolutely beside myself to finally get behind the wheel. Sydney motorsport park is a track I know well as I have done quite a few laps on this track with not only my own cars but also having been invited on numerous track events with Porsche, Audi, BMW and HSV.

What I found interesting was we were first going to sample the BMW M235i on the race track followed by laps in the BMW M2. A few months prior I had also driven the M3 and M4 in similar conditions on the same track.

First off the M235i is really a sensational car for 90% of drivers this car will provide more than enough performance as a daily driven car, whilst also having a rather good set of road manners for your mundane daily commute. The standout strength of this car was its engine and the beautiful noise it made. You would never tire of buzzing this engine to redline over and over again the sound was fantastic although i did notice ASM every so often and thought that was a little contrived but nonetheless it added to the sense of occasion. The engine was powerful, linear and unlike most turbocharged engines genuinely seemed to enjoy a big dose of revs meaning I was picking up 3rd when realistically I could have done the faster corners in 4th.
Sydney motorsport park has a decent straightaway where the M235i was seeing speeds just over 200kph before getting on the brakes to scrub off about 50kph to turn in to a fast left hander, for me this is where the M235i couldn't hide it's road biased setup the brakes felt soft and spongy after 2-3 really good stops so first off you needed more braking room than the other M's i have driven here and also in the transition from releasing the brakes to turn in the M235i would lean heavily and wanted to start to wag its tail. So you would finesse it in to the corner and then wait (hold off the throttle) till it gathered itself up and was able to be pushed on exit. This single corner really seemed to highlight the difference between the two cars.

Now for the M2 first off the engine sounded much the same but slightly angrier especially at idle and on the overrun, so for me this was still fantastic and a definite strength of the car. The engine seemed a lot like the M235i's engine but you could feel it had a little more spring in its step and it felt a little smoother at the top end, I'm not going to say it was a night and day difference between the two engines because there really wasn't but they are both amazing engines and never did the M2 feel underpowered. Right away the M2 felt a lot more agile with none of the lean angles in corners that we were getting in the M235i, it continued to go exactly where you placed it on the road it was remarkably stable, it never felt like it needed to gather itself up, it seemed to be constantly asking "where on the road would you like me to be?" as opposed to the M235i which would get you through the corner but if you wanted to change an apex of a corner you would need to have started the process much earlier in the M235i.
The M2 was managing a top speed of about 210-215kph on the straight this seemed about right as when I had the M4 on track a few months ago we were seeing about 225 - 230 kph on the straight. Now to the fast 4th gear first corner where the M235i was hard to pull up and wanted to step its rear out a little the M2 was rock solid, braking performance was sublime with very little difference in braking performance over a number of laps and into the first corner the car was super tied down no tail wagging like the M235i, no movement just went exactly where you put it. This meant i could get turned in and back on the power much faster than the M235i and this showed in the arrival speed into the following corner as I was arriving much faster and the first two laps I overshot my braking point. The M2 put a much wider smile on my face around the track it felt like it was handling all I could throw at it with ease and seemed to be encouraging me to brake later and get on the power earlier, that being said it can bite you under power but its very predictable and easy to bring back into line.
In relation to the M3 and M4, the M2 around Sydney motorsport Park although I didn't time the laps definitely seemed slower in outright pace no by much and surely not through the corners but on the straights. Under the right conditions such as a slippery track the M2 would absolutely be in with a good shot of being faster but ultimately the S55 engine is still a beast. The thing that stood out for me is the entry onto the straight is an uphill off camber left hand turn in the M3 and M4 you had to really be so precise in modulating the pedal just right so as not to torch the rear wheels and suffer down the straight. In the M2 it was much easier to manage the wheel spin coming onto the straight the ability of the chassis to put down the power from the engine is really something else. I was tailing an instructor in an M3 and our exit speeds from the corner were almost identical if not slightly in favour of the M2 but once the M3 finally gets full grip and the second turbo starts spinning it does start to pull away.
So I suppose in regards to the M2 vs M3 I feel the M2 is more M car than BMW have been for a long time as the F80 M3 has started to feel like a bit AMG like (big car, big power). So i guess it comes down to what suits you, for me the M2 is a great blend of precision and power and I'm grateful that BMW are still building cars like this for the enthusiast.

Guys sorry this was so long winded but everything I've written is just my opinion if you disagree that fine let me know why, love a good spirited debate about this sort of thing.
Cheers
Joe
210-215km/h on the straight is not bad
In comparison, the Audi TTRS went upto 220km/h at the Audi Performance driving day I previously attended
At the Porsche Rennsport Festival 2 weeks ago a Boxster Spyder went up to 240km/h at the end of the straight
Appreciate 0
      05-20-2016, 03:54 AM   #10
koastal
Captain
Australia
376
Rep
668
Posts

Drives: F87
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Oz

iTrader: (0)

Terminal speed is directly related to corner exit speed.
Boxter must have had a 3.8 lt transplant and some
Appreciate 0
      05-20-2016, 06:33 AM   #11
Karmic Man
Lieutenant Colonel
Karmic Man's Avatar
Australia
1995
Rep
1,758
Posts

Drives: M2C
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: World

iTrader: (0)

A Boxster Spyder, mate. Comes with the same engine and drivetrain as the GT4. Both have the 911CS 3.8 NA

It came 1st on Saturday and 2nd on Sunday in stock class. Beating GT4s and GT3s. Spoke to the guy afterwards and everything is stock but the tyres (using Cup2).

Last edited by Karmic Man; 05-20-2016 at 09:46 AM..
Appreciate 1
      05-20-2016, 07:31 PM   #12
Giuseppe002
Private
48
Rep
63
Posts

Drives: BMW M2
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Sydney

iTrader: (0)

Hey Koastal, yeah we were having a proper go, we weren't there for a haircut lol. But in all seriousness some of the instructors recognised me from a previous track day so the instructors would allow me to run faster laps and dictate more of my own pace.
Appreciate 1
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:48 AM.




m2
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST