The highly anticipated model which is expected to hit showroom floors towards the beginning of the year with its official debut expected before the close of 2022 may be the last opportunity for fossil-fuel loving enthusiasts to own a new M car that is powered without any form of electrification. According to the BMW M division head honcho Frank van Meel, the 2023 BMW M2 will be the last pure-internal combustion M vehicle.
Have a look at some camouflage close ups of the model here.
This doesn’t mean that everything thereafter will be electric, perhaps hybridisation will stall the inevitable but the petrol powered motor as we know it is slowly becoming extinct. In an interview with Germany’s Bimmer Today, the boss stated “The BMW M2 with in-line six-cylinder and rear-wheel drive will definitely be a puristic driving machine. We will see increasing electrification in other vehicles, of course in different forms, starting with the 48-volt electrical system and plug-in hybrids to fully electric drives. Seen in this way, the M2 will be the last M with a pure combustion engine drive and also without electrification scope such as a 48-volt on-board network, yes,”
For certain markets, the hot coupe will even offer a manual gearbox, which is reportedly the choice of over half of the M2 buyers in America according to van Meel. The model was partially leaked in some recent shots and is highly anticipated to be a potent weapon. Production will start in the San Luis Potosi manufacturing facility in Mexico later on in the year so if you are in the fortunate position to own this piece of automotive history (which is probably going to cost an arm and a leg), don’t hesitate; it may even appreciate in value rather handsomely because of its powertrain!
Keyword: BMW M2 will officially be last pure-internal combustion M vehicle