Like it or not for its looks, the BMW M2 marks the beginning of the end for internal combustion engines. The second generation model (codenamed G87) was the last M car to avoid electrification. Yes, the 3.0 CSL is coming next month, but it will be limited to 50 copies with a rumored price tag of €750,000. Starting in 2023, every fully fledged new M car will have a hybrid powertrain to echo the wild-looking XM.
Where does that leave a potential third-generation M2? Well, BMW M has ruled out the performance of cars with three or four cylinder engines. Maintaining the inline-six past 2030 and adding electrification seems unlikely given the potential ban on sales of new ICE cars in the European Union by 2035. As well as having to meet stricter regulations, the M division is also concerned that smaller engines will not be viable. of M2 after the battery runs out.
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BMW M CEO Frank van Meel told CarBuzz that plug-in hybrid models with downsized engines are a challenge because the ICE must be powerful enough to compensate for the hybrid’s lack of boost when the battery runs out: “A plug-in hybrid in a small car may be a difficult problem because the plug-in hybrid must have sufficient power, even if the electric part isn’t available. If your base engine isn’t powerful enough, then a plug-in hybrid doesn’t make sense.”
The Mercedes-AMG will be different as the new C63 uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 469 horsepower and 402 pound-feet (545 Newton-meters) of torque on its own. Having ruled out anything with less than six cylinders, the BMW M isn’t going to take to the streets installing an all-powerful four-pot, let alone three bangers.
Of course, we are talking about the distant future. The M2 was only revealed last week and is expected to stay on sale until near the end of the decade. The direct successor seems more likely to go the EV route, but it’s too early to know for sure. Meanwhile, Baby M sticks to tradition by offering a six-cylinder, three-pedal and two-wheel-drive rear engine. We’ll have to wait and see if the rumors about the M2 xDrive will materialize.
