Enthusiasts see the M2 as the purest BMW currently on offer. With a smaller body and a six-cylinder engine, powering the rear wheels, it’s more like the original M3 than the M4, if that means. We’ve seen a million drag races to prove the point of backing up, but this is a little bit different.
However, they are all equipped with a manual gearbox, which means that launching is not as easy as feeding the buttons and rocketing to the horizon line. Yes, cars can be fast, But you are
Before discussing the result, let’s look at the specs, as this car is somewhat customized and in European configurations, which can make a big difference to the older M3. The red E36 follows the M3 cameraman who fitted it with a new downpipe and re-mapped it, resulting in a power output of 300 PS (297 hp). U.S. Speck Carre would have made only 240 hp (stock) because of the Vanoz system.
The E36 is also the lightest car of the trio, weighing about 1,400 kg (3,086 lbs). The E46 M3, a car mat driven by Watson, weighs in at about 170kg (374 lbs), but it comes with a larger 3.2-liter inline-6 that produces about 340 hp (343 PS). The S54 was valued at 333 hp for the American and Canadian markets, however.
The Competition is the second most powerful version of the M2 and is powered by an engine borrowed from the outgoing M3. Twin turbocharging ensures that this produces 405 horsepower (410 PS). Easy victory? Quite.
In all three drag races, the E46 M3 pulls ahead, proving that these older beamers are still top performers as long as you ignore the robotized gearbox. Eventually, M2 starts to catch the competition and wins it. Speaking of the rolling race, it’s close until the turbos spool.
