[hyperzulu]

There is a new article on Roundel where Chris Doersen talks to a couple of BMW NA product dev guys about the M2. While he didn't get the answer he was looking for, I'm curious as to why he feels the M2 will get a de-tuned version of the S55B30.

He states he'd prefer a 350hp four banger, or a smaller-displacement S55, but thought the most likely engine setup will be a de-tuned S55B30. BMW would leave the door wide open for a M2 re-tuned to M3/4 specs.

[W///]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

There is a new article on Roundel where Chris Doersen talks to a couple of BMW NA product dev guys about the M2. While he didn't get the answer he was looking for, I'm curious as to why he feels the M2 will get a de-tuned version of the S55B30.

He states he'd prefer a 350hp four banger, or a smaller-displacement S55, but thought the most likely engine setup will be a de-tuned S55B30. BMW would leave the door wide open for a M2 re-tuned to M3/4 specs.

Did you mean to write N55 instead of S55?

[BMW269]

Detuned S55 instead of "tuned" N55 is too good to be true. Must be April fools.

[mwalter14]

Link to article?

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by W///

Did you mean to write N55 instead of S55?

N55 was not even mentioned. He wrote smaller displacement version of the S55 which he would like or a detuned S55 which he thought would be what we see. A detuned or smaller displacement N55 would not really make much sense.

[BMW269]

Ok, he just wrote what he would like to see, not what there is.

Pass on, nothing to see here. Cheap N55 has anyway already been confirmed some months ago.

[hyperzulu]

I don't think a link would work but here:

I know we've all seen things "confirmed" about this car, but until it arrives, what can we truly know? We know a prototype was developed with the N55 engine, which is what its VIN indicated. Like I said, most car mags I wouldn't give much credit to, but these guys are BMW fans who have more face to face with BMW insiders than we do. Just thought his view was interesting.

For some bizarre reason yet to be explained to the universe, Satch and Roundel motorsports editor Brian Morgan decided to send me and my wife, Valerie, to the 63rd Twelve Hours of Sebring (article coming soon to a Roundel near you!). Despite shifting from the twenty-degree Cleveland winter to a ninety-plus-degree Florida swamp, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. And aside from the awesomeness that is BMW racing, the conversations with Matt Russell and Tom Plucinsky were especially, well, special.

Matt and Tom are a pair of BMW North America gurus who have significant say in the development of all those BMWs that we love; this creates some interesting banter around the BMW tent—interesting and revealing banter. And not in the way I was expecting.

Me: “So, what engine is going in the new M2?”

Matt: “What M2?”

Valerie: “You’re not a very good at poker, are you?”

Matt: “Not really.”

Russell may not be the greatest card player, but he certainly knows how to get inside the minds of BMW enthusiasts. Of all the tidbits he provided, perhaps the most basic—and yet oh, so important—aspect of creating a new vehicle, especially when the M badge is involved, comes down to The Decision: Develop an existing model, or create something entirely new?

For example, occupying the first mentality is the 1 Series M Coupe which cross-bred an M3 suspension with the ubiquitous-but-celebrated N54 engine, albeit an N54 blueprinted and tweaked by the wizards at M GmbH. The new M3/M4 duo sits firmly in the latter camp, with its over-reaching S55 engine and solid rear subframe.

What of the mysterious M2 that definitely does not exist?

Personally, I would like to see a bit of both approaches, using the F82 chassis powered by a four-cylinder with about 350 BMW-land ponies, with weight as close to 3,000 pounds as possible. The result would be lower overall weight and a more rearward bias. For the marketing department, I think we all recall a rather successful M car powered by a four-cylinder; it’s even the 40th anniversary of BMW factory racing in North America, and I’ve been told that those E30 M3s won a few races.

If the inevitable straight six makes an appearance, then I vote for a smaller-displacement version of the S55: higher revs (8,000 or more, please), a little less horsepower (still in the 350-to-400 range), but lower torque. Let’s call it the S55B25. Otherwise, maybe we will get an S58 powerplant based on the new B58 long-stroke engine. What I really hope we won’t see—but what will probably manifest itself as the M2 engine—is a de-tuned version of the S55B30.

Whatever lives under the hood, it will be potent, even if Matt and Tom will neither deny nor confirm the car’s existence.

Ever suspect that your BMW motor has a very conservative power rating? According to Russell—and confirmed by independent dyno tests across the globe—the stated horsepower and torque for BMWs these days are for the “worst day possible, involving the worst-case scenario: in the heat and a mile high.” So yes, your new M3 or M4 does put our 425 bhp on your way to Breckenridge in 101ºF heat. Maybe even after a spark-plug wire goes a bit wonky.

Wonder what Matt Russell would drive if he were handed the keys to one brand-new BMW? It seems that he is taken with the new X5 M, as are most people who have been allowed to test the new model. Or an i8. Or maybe even the new M3, a car that is practically Matt’s baby. Yeah, I like his “one” car choice, too; who really wants to live with just one roundel in the garage?!

A picture may tell a thousand words, but a truly thought-proving conversation can offer a glimpse into the way an entire company thinks—even a company as vast as BMW. And that's what you get when you sit down with Matt Russell and Tom Plucinsky on a warm evening in Florida. You will also learn that Plucinsky is a full-fledged watch aficionado, possessing both passion and ability—he can literally reduce a mechanical watch to its bare bones, then reassemble it. Impressive.

Matt and Tom, I am already looking forward to our next discussion—not to learn secrets about new vehicles, nor to glean the newest gossip at BMW, but to talk cars with two through-and-through car enthusiasts. It warms my heart to know that these are the types of people actively shaping our favorite car company. And for everyone reading this, you should seek out the BMW NA crew in New Jersey when you’re there for Oktoberfest. I suspect that they will be lurking about. After all, we're going to be in BMW NA’s back yard.—Chris Doersen

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by Levi

Ok, he just wrote what he would like to see, not what there is.

Pass on, nothing to see here. Cheap N55 has anyway already been confirmed some months ago.

Yeah I made that pretty clear in what I wrote in my initial post. How did you miss that?

[Bemo]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

Yeah I made that pretty clear in what I wrote in my initial post. How did you miss that?

There's no official confirmation yet from BMW about the actual engine. Period end of story. Yes we know what has been tested but that may be an intentional leak on BMWs behalf to fool the competition.

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by Bemo

There's no official confirmation yet from BMW about the actual engine. Period end of story. Yes we know what has been tested but that may be an intentional leak on BMWs behalf to fool the competition.

Right. That's what I was saying. There are documents showing prototypes with VIN numbers which indicate an N55 engine. That was one spy capture - and it's very weird how someone was able to actually get close enough to capture the VIN stamp, but that's beside the point.

I just thought it was really curious that guys that eat, sleep and breathe BMWs more than the majority of us have a different take on what we should expect to see on the M2. A de-tuned S55 seems wild because it won't be a month before tuners open it up for M3/4 tuning, which will be scary.

[Reedomn]

I love a good mystery!!!...

[filet.M2c]

I feel like you guys are giving me false hope hah but if the M2 gets a detuned S55 I would be ecstatic. Literally no reason to even consider a M4 in my book. SCOTT back in a post in early 2014 basically "confirmed" the M2 would be a 4-banger but that obviously hasn't come to fruition (maybe in the CSL?) so I take everything with a grain of salt at this point and look forward to the official reveal.

[///Mobbin]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

Right. That's what I was saying. There are documents showing prototypes with VIN numbers which indicate an N55 engine. That was one spy capture - and it's very weird how someone was able to actually get close enough to capture the VIN stamp, but that's beside the point.

I just thought it was really curious that guys that eat, sleep and breathe BMWs more than the majority of us have a different take on what we should expect to see on the M2. A de-tuned S55 seems wild because it won't be a month before tuners open it up for M3/4 tuning, which will be scary.

Less capable turbos would solve that problem.

Also, I wonder if the VIN stamp had to do with the prototype starting life as a standard 2-series. Though I would be content with an N55+, I really like where this thread is going.

[Die ///M Rakete]

I will continue to hold a glimmer of hope deep in my heart that we will get an emasculated S55 and that I will be a just a tune away from automotive nirvana

[W///]

Originally Posted by synergist

I feel like you guys are giving me false hope hah but if the M2 gets a detuned S55 I would be ecstatic. Literally no reason to even consider a M4 in my book. SCOTT back in a post in early 2014 basically "confirmed" the M2 would be a 4-banger but that obviously hasn't come to fruition (maybe in the CSL?) so I take everything with a grain of salt at this point and look forward to the official reveal.

I'd ignore it. Not only did that source confirm that it'll be N55, he also confirmed that SOP will be in Nov. Plus anyone that says the car will be as close to 3000 lbs as possible is completely day dreaming.

There won't be a detuned s55, b48, 4 pot, s57 or whatever else people come up with (as far as I'm concerned)

Also, that "leak" had absolutely nothing to do with a physical VIN tag fyi.

[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by W///

I'd ignore it. Not only did that source confirm that it'll be N55, he also confirmed that SOP will be in Nov. Plus anyone that says the car will be as close to 3000 lbs as possible is completely day dreaming.

There won't be a detuned s55, b48, 4 pot, s57 or whatever else people come up with (as far as I'm concerned)

Also, that "leak" had absolutely nothing to do with a physical VIN tag fyi.

If 5,000lbs is as close to 3,000 as they could get it, then that's as close as possible.

[Die ///M Rakete]

Originally Posted by W///

There won't be a detuned s55, b48, 4 pot, s57 or whatever else people come up with (as far as I'm concerned)

...I can't hear you!!!...I can't hear you!!!

[filet.M2c]

Originally Posted by W///

I'd ignore it. Not only did that source confirm that it'll be N55, he also confirmed that SOP will be in Nov. Plus anyone that says the car will be as close to 3000 lbs as possible is completely day dreaming.

There won't be a detuned s55, b48, 4 pot, s57 or whatever else people come up with (as far as I'm concerned)

Also, that "leak" had absolutely nothing to do with a physical VIN tag fyi.

Yes, it would seem the N55 is the front runner but I'm over the speculation. I just want the facts!

[Karmic Man]

Only chance the S55 will be in an M2 is with the CSL model.

[d0scas]

Definitely n55 can see the front mount intercooler in the spy shots

[///Mobbin]

Originally Posted by d0scas

Definitely n55 can see the front mount intercooler in the spy shots

Hmmm, good point. Couldn't the s55 still work with a FMIC though? That might help limit the tuning potential and save on overall cost.

[d0scas]

Originally Posted by ///Mobbin

Hmmm, good point. Couldn't the s55 still work with a FMIC though? That might help limit the tuning potential and save on overall cost.

Good point too On that I'm not sure on s55 though