BMW Announces 2019 M2 Competition

2019 BMW M2 Competition.  Image Credit: 2018 BMW Group

BMW Announces 2019 M2 Competition
Words By:  BMW Group
Image Credits:  2018 BMW Group unless otherwise stated

The 2019 BMW M2 Competition replaces the BMW M2 Coupe while retaining the compact dimensions, characteristic BMW M proportions and the BMW M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine, rear wheel drive and a standard manual transmission with an optional M DCT transmission that have made the M2 beloved by many enthusiasts. The exciting new addition to the BMW M portfolio provides a distinctive M design complemented by improved dynamics and track capabilities with a 0-60 sprint time of 4.0 seconds. The BMW M2 Competition will be available in summer of 2018. With pricing to be announced closer to Market launch.

2019 BMW M2 Competition 405 hp M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder.  Image Credit: 2018 BMW Group

The heart of the new BMW M2 Competition is its new engine, based on the power unit from the BMW M3 and BMW M4. The inline 6-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology delivers 405 hp between 5,230 and 7,000 rpm. The engine’s peak torque of 406 lb-ft is on tap between 2,350 rpm and 5,230 rpm. The power unit boasts an insatiable appetite for revs and offers exceptionally linear power delivery across a broad rpm range. A dual exhaust system with electronic flap control provides the distinctive M sound, while the M TwinPower Turbo technology delivers outstanding efficiency.

The first ever BMW M2 Competition completes the sprint from standstill to 60 mph, in as little as 4.0 seconds (with DCT and 4.2 seconds with the manual transmission). The top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. The car can be combined with the M Driver’s Package to raise the top speed to 174 mph.  The carefully designed oil supply system for the engine is taken directly from motorsport, while the cooling system from the BMW M4 with Competition Package is used with some M2 specific adjustments. The BMW M2 Competition’s track-ready variants of the oil supply and cooling systems have been tested by BMW’s many years of motor racing experience. Enlarged BMW kidney grille openings and a new front skirt with increased air flow are exterior indicators to the use of this enhanced cooling system. The kidney grilles are finished in high-gloss Shadow Line black paint as are the side gills on the front fenders. A quartet of black chrome plated tailpipes finish off the twin exhaust system. A dark M Competition Badge graces the rear end of the car.

BMW M engineers have adjusted the driving dynamics of the BMW M2 Competition to take the new model’s increased performance into account. The striking CFRP high-precision strut from the BMW M3/M4 is immediately recognizable in the engine compartment. This improves front section rigidity and increases steering precision. The electromechanical power steering, the Active M Differential and the Dynamic Steering Control (DSC) system have all been enhanced.

The BMW M2 Competition is the first BMW M2 to be equipped with selector switches in the center console that allow instant control of settings for the engine, steering and Drivelogic functions, if M DCT is available. The various configurations can be combined in whichever way the driver prefers and can be stored for easy access using the M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel. The standard range of equipment now includes the red start/stop button, Active Driving Assistant and Park Distance Control (PDC).

2019 BMW M2 Competition Sport seats.  Image Credit: 2018 BMW Group

The new, standard M Sport seats are a real highlight in terms of both form and function. The bucket-style shape borrows heavily from motorsport and provides drivers with optimized support, while the headrests are integrated into the seat back rest. The backrest also features an illuminated M2 logo. The black leather upholstery boasts design perforations in the seat and backrest, available in either blue or orange. Two new optional paint colors are available on the BMW M2 Competition: Hockenheim Silver, which replaces Mineral Grey Metallic and is exclusive to the M2 Competition and Sunset Orange Metallic.

BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology consists of two rapid-response MonoScroll turbochargers, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve control and Double-VANOS variable camshaft timing. The valve and camshaft timing work in tandem for maximum variability of the control intake valve lift. Razor-sharp responses and optimal power delivery are the result. Spray on LDS (Lichtbogendrahtspritzen) coated cylinder walls lead to a significant reduction in weight over traditional cylinder inserts. A lightweight forged crankshaft helps the engine to rev to a redline of 7,600 rpm.

Maintaining consistent levels of oil supply is particularly important on the track, thanks to the increased performance of the BMW M2 Competition. This is where the extensive motor racing experience at BMW M GmbH has the chance to shine. For example, an additional oil sump cover helps limit the movement of lubricants when the car quickly changes direction. Under extreme longitudinal acceleration and deceleration, an oil extraction pump and a sophisticated oil return system situated close to the turbochargers help to maintain uninterrupted oil circulation. Sufficient oil is therefore supplied continuously to all engine components in all driving situations – whether on the road or the track.

2019 BMW M2 Competition is as comfortable on the track as on the road.  Image Credit: 2018 BMW Group

The BMW M2 Competition features a range of measures designed to deal with the increased cooling requirements, compared with the previous model. An enlarged BMW kidney grill and a new front skirt with modified air flow improve the flow for the front of the car. The car also makes use of the track-tested cooling system of the BMW M4 with the Competition Package, consisting of one central radiator, two side radiators and an additional engine oil cooler. Cars making use of the optional seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) also feature a transmission oil cooler.

The BMW M2 Competition’s S55 engine exhales through a completely new exhaust system. The dual-branch design features a new muffler and the four tailpipes, finished in black chrome, identify the car immediately as a BMW M model. Two electrically-controlled flaps ensure that the BMW M2 Competition delivers the distinctive BMW M Sound, which the driver can adjust by selecting a driving mode with M Dynamic Performance Control via the selector switch in the center console.

The new BMW M2 Competition comes standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is notable for its compact design and light weight. The use of a new type of carbon-fiber friction lining enhances the manual shift feel. The BMW M2 is equipped with rev matching technology which blips the throttle on downshifts and lowers the engine’s revs on upshifts, making gear changes even smoother. This lends the car additional stability during hard driving on the track.

The seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT with Drivelogic) can be ordered as an option. This system effectively combines two gearboxes, each with its own clutch, and enables either extremely fast gear changes with no interruption in the flow of power or ultra-smooth shifts. The driver can change gears either in automated or manual mode by using the gearshift lever on the center console or shift paddles on the M leather steering wheel. In both automatic and manual modes, Drivelogic provides the driver with a choice between three preconfigured driving programs: COMFORT, SPORT and SPORT+.  In automatic mode, the driver can then adjust the speed of the gearshift, its intensity, and the automatic throttle blipping function on downshifts.

The engine compartment contains the most striking component: the CFRP high-precision strut brace from the BMW M3/M4. This one-piece brace made from extremely light, yet high-strength, carbon fiber weighs in at just 3.3 lbs. Together with the bulkhead strut from the M4, it significantly increases front section rigidity and improves steering behavior and precision.

The high-performance chassis utilizes the lightweight aluminum intensive front and rear axles from the BMW M3/M4. In order to ensure extremely precise wheel location, tight tolerance ball joints are used to transmit transverse forces.  The control arms and wheel carriers of the new five-link rear axle are made from forged aluminum. A racing-derived rigid connection, dispensing with rubber bushings, is used to fix the lightweight steel grid-type rear axle sub frame to the body. This improves wheel location and tracking stability.

BMW M engineers have adjusted the operation of the electromechanical power steering to further improve performance and increase front end rigidity. The integrated Servotronic function with M-specific characteristics controls the level of steering assistance electronically according to the car’s speed and to the Drivelogic settings made by the driver, allowing power steering assistance to be adjusted based on personal preference.

The Dynamic Stability Control has been completely recalibrated for the BMW M2 Competition. Electronics exercise even more delicate control, providing improved traction in wet and slippery conditions, and ensuring that traction is not interrupted during drifts. Support is provided by the Active M Differential, an electronically controlled multi-plate limited-slip differential that takes traction and directional stability to a new level of precision and speed.

The locking effect can vary between 0 and 100 percent, according to the driving situation, and reacts to the car’s steering angle, accelerator position, brake pressure, engine torque, wheel speed and yaw rate. The control unit uses this analysis of the driving situation to detect the threat of traction loss on one side of the car and calculates the required locking effect, which is engaged by an electric motor. The full locking power of over 1,800 lb-ft is available within 150 milliseconds. This allows the system to prevent a wheel from spinning in extreme conditions on slippery road surfaces or when the two rear wheels are experiencing significant differences in friction coefficient.

In certain situations, the Active M Differential even works proactively. When pulling away on slippery surfaces, the lock is closed by a defined percentage even before a wheel can start to spin, to ensure that both wheels develop equal slip at the same time. The lock is also closed by the required percentage through enthusiastically driven corners, according to the levels of lateral acceleration and drive at work. This prevents the low-traction inside wheel from starting to turn too quickly. This permanent and infinitely variable differential control also increases agility, avoids understeer on the way into corners and improves directional stability under braking and load changes.

M Dynamic Mode (MDM) is a sub-function of Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) that can be activated automatically by either selecting SPORT+ mode, or engaging manually via the DSC button. In certain situations – e.g. track driving – it allows a greater degree of wheel spin. The DSC mode stabilizing measures now intervene later, increasing the freedom available to drivers at the limit. The extra wheel slip enhances traction and therefore forward propulsion. More significant oversteer and understeer situations are possible, as are moderate, controlled drifts, but the Dynamic Stability Control active safety aids can still be relied on in critical situations.

2019 BMW M2 Competition in Hockenheim Silver.  Imagew Credit: 2018 BMW Group

The new high-performance M Sport brakes provide maximum brake performance and are a product of the extensive motorsport experience at BMW M GmbH. Compared to the outgoing M2’s M compound brakes, with blue metallic brake calipers (front 4-piston fixed caliper and 380 mm diameter disks and rear 2-piston fixed caliper with 370 mm diameter disks) the new M Sport brakes found in the M2 Competition have larger brake disks (front: 400 mm in diameter, rear: 380 mm in diameter) as well as larger brake calipers(front: 6-piston fixed and rear: 4-piston fixed), painted in a grey finish. These high-performance brakes provide excellent deceleration in all conditions and impress with their resistance to fade and heat.

The new 19-inch forged wheels are available (front axle: 9J x 19, rear axle 10J x 19) with the Y-spoke design in a high-sheen finish, and in two color options: light high-sheen (bi-color), or with a black front surface. The front 245/35 R19 tires meet the most demanding requirements in terms of lateral stability, directional stability, steering feel and steering precision. The rear 265/35 R19 tires deliver optimal traction, and the required lateral and directional stability.

2019 BMW M2 Competition logo door sill plate.  Image Credit: 2018 BMW Group

When opening the door of the new BMW M2 Competition, drivers are greeted by the M2 Competition logo on the sill plate. They can then settle into the ergonomically and visually stunning M Sport seat. The bucket-style shape of the seat borrows heavily from motorsport and provides drivers with optimum support, while the headrests are integrated into the seat back rest.

An illuminated M2 logo nestles in the backrest of the M Sport seat. The seat and the backrest boast black leather upholstery with design perforations, available in blue or orange. These touches of color are also reflected in the leather stitching on seats and armrests, while Alcantara leather is used to cover the sides of the side bolsters. The classic BMW M stripes have been woven into the M safety belts and the M-specific stitching can also be found on the steering wheel.

The first ever BMW M2 Competition provides drivers with two selector switches in the center console that allow direct access to adjust various vehicle characteristics and settings, a feature familiar from other BMW M models. The switches can be used to directly access various settings for stability control, for example the three engine characteristics, or the steering modes. Drivers can also use the selector switches to adapt the settings they want for various areas and combine these as they please. They also adjust Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) – a short dab activates MDM mode, while holding the switch down longer switches DSC off.

The M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel also provide direct access to the range of driving modes. Drivers can save their own personal configurations chosen from the settings for stability control, engine characteristics and steering - control over the personality of the BMW M2 is at their fingertips. The M1 and M2 steering wheel buttons are preprogramed with a Comfort and a Sport program as standard and drivers can return to these settings at any time.

New BMW M2 Competition customers can make use of numerous driver assistance systems and mobility services through BMW Personal CoPilot. The range of optional driver assistance systems includes the standard Active Driving Assistant, which comprises features such as Collision Warning and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function, and Lane Departure Warning. Speed Limit Info flashes up traffic signs and the permitted top speed. The rear-view camera teams up with standard rear Park Distance Control to assist drivers with reverse parking and maneuvering. The standard Navigation Professional offers an ultra-sharp map display and the iDrive Touch Controller ensures the various functions are even easier to use.

TAGS: BMW, BMW GROUP, M2 Competition