STRONG MEDICINE - 2023 BMW M2

EACH DOSE CONTAINS 453 HORSEPOWER. MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL BEFORE USING. DRIVE DAILY OR AS NEEDED.

- MIKE SUTTON 

DO YOU STRUGGLE TO MAKE SENSE OF TODAY'S INFLUX OF HEAVY, ABSURDLY POWERFUL EVS?

Does trying to discern one SUV body shape from another induce anxiety and depression? Then you may suffer from transitional automotive disorder. Ask your BMW dealer if the new M2 coupe is right for you. (Side effects may include joyous laughter at extralegal speeds, increased tolerance for g-forces, and cravings for empty, curvy roads.)

The second-generation M2's formulation is simple in that it condenses the workings of the one-size-up M4, one of BMW M's finest, into a more playful package. At $63,195 to start, it's also $12,500 less expensive. Based on the redesigned 2-series coupe produced in Mexico, the M2 remains a compact rear-wheel-drive rush of a car with a confining back seat, though its wheelbase and overall length have increased by 2.1 and 4.1 inches to 108.1 and 180.3 inches, respectively. It's also now a little shorter in stature yet 1.3 inches broader in beam, with wider front and rear tracks that now match the M4's. While the ductwork on the M2's stylized bumpers appears disjointed from certain angles, prominently flared fenders lend this upright three-box coupe the swagger of a vintage IMSA racer. Thankfully, its larger sibling's controversial bucktooth maw is not included.