M2 VS M2 Competition VS M3(e46) VS M4 Review

Its a great write-up peter. I have never driven the M2 comp but you see now why I would not have bought the vanilla M2. I drove one and it just was not M car enough. BMW seem to have agreed, and basically but a m4 into the m2 body for the comp. As I said the M2 comp may be the best of both worlds, however the lack of HUD, the poor choice of colours exterior and interior (for my gaudy tastes), and lack of adaptive suspension is a shame. On a long motorway trip where you dont want to "drive" its nice to have a soft setting. And on those roads a hard "sports plus" is nice for control and to limit rebound over bumps and keep the traction. I have some styling issues with the m2, and the packaging is a bit dinky to be my primary motor.

We were all really pushing on those roads, and all the cars were well able to keep up. The e46 is rewarding because it takes effort (my hands were very sweaty trying to keep with the pack in the e46). The M4 (and I assume the M2 comp) are effortlessly fast and corner and brake so well. I found the f10 M5 the hardest to get to speed because the mass feels like its inertia will make you crash.

Dont every underestimate tyres on all these. The m2 comp is on PS4;s, all the m4 were on PSS, the e46 was on Khumo Ecsta. Tyres are IMHO the biggest difference in the handling of a car. The e46 on Cup2's is (on a hot day) unstickable. A m4 on PS4's would be different too (the M$ cs is on them)., I do feel that BMW with all their editions are basically messing with software and tyres at this point.
The reason they make so many models is because we all have different tastes, but for me looking at my cars, the only that has the price to performance win by miles is the e46 m3. Only problem is they are getting too rare (ones in good nick anyway) and collectable to drive as they should be driven. I think the e92 m3 is also a mighty car, except that it was made at the same time as BMW were making very unreliable cars, they are a bargain at the moment too.

Life is too short to drive crappy cars. Peter is a gentleman and totally trustworthy, although I did sweat a bit when you were in the lead in the M4 and caining it.

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Originally Posted by Moe

The size of the backbox on the m2 is like a full nappy hanging down,,,why? Otherwise a solid looking car. You need to drive the e92 then you will have the full picture. I would be most interested in you opinions on that. Due to an unexpected house renovation project I might be persuaded to part with the e46 m3 for the right buyer.

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Now now moe I have dibs!!!

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Originally Posted by Moe

The size of the backbox on the m2 is like a full nappy hanging down,,,why? Otherwise a solid looking car. You need to drive the e92 then you will have the full picture. I would be most interested in you opinions on that. Due to an unexpected house renovation project I might be persuaded to part with the e46 m3 for the right buyer.

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Originally Posted by dergside

I daresay that BMW or one of the other tuners have something in the line of a Carbon Fibre diffuser to fill that gap, at a price.....

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Originally Posted by Big H

The backbox may be part of the cars aerodynamics as per the Z1's backbox....:)

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Something to do with new emissions regulations apparently, easily sorted aftermarket but strangely, I like it.

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Originally Posted by 318 iS Cosmos

I wouldn't agree on being able to use all of the power at all times though - I mean 343bhp is still a pretty respectable figure by today's standards and you would have to be ragging the car all of the time to get the max out of it.

As for a daily, I find the SMG fine in slow moving traffic - once you get used to the characteristics. Parallel parking on a hill is about the worst aspect of SMG.

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No arguments there, 343bhp is plenty! I think the e46 M3 chassis is so sorted that it just handles the power really well. By contrast, the Z4M with the exact same engine is ...frantic! It bites, a different kind of excitement again :D but that's why I was so surprised by how much more progressive and easy to handle the e46 M3 was at the limit.

Also agree, you don't deploy all 343bhp on the morning commute, but on a mountain road - deploy them I did :) Moe told me I had to rag it and I didn't want to disappoint him :D

Good to hear the SMG is ok in slow moving traffic. I think I'm leaning towards SMG if I was to buy an e46 M3.

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Originally Posted by Bayerische

An interesting read and a great write up Peter...you should be on the staff of EVO magazine!! Fair play to Moe also for letting you experience his fantastic fleet.

The biggest observation that I made is that you seem to prefer all of the gadgets and different driver settings on the M2 Competition over the M2. I am completely the opposite. All I want is a six cylinder engine, RWD and a manual gearbox (OK maybe traction control).

I would argue that the 1M is the spiritual successor of the E30 M3 and E46 M3 and not the M2.

It really sounds like you need to buy an M2 Competition though. Have you spoken to the bank manager yet :D

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Thanks Nick, you're very kind! I would only love to...

Yes, Moe was brave to let me have a go :D

I really do like the extra toys over the M2, I think the driver settings are great as well. I had the engine in sport plus pootling around the city for example with comfort everything else just for the POP POP POP out the back. I was always more of an "analog" kind of guy before but I'm really coming around to the extra tech in cars, it just adds to the experience for me. I 100% understand where you're coming from though as it's always been my view up until now. In fact I used to say (LARGE) front engined, RWD, manual, with electric windows and ABS... and nothing else. Now I really enjoy the toys and paddle-shift boxes, maybe it's a phase :D

I'd say you're probably right re: 1M, it's just frustrating that they made what seems like a fantastic car and then limited production for absolutely no reason. I think I've only ever seen one in the flesh - a Valencia orange example I used to see regularly around Auckland, NZ. I know there's a black one floating around Dublin as well. Maybe a part of me is dismissing it for that reason.

Oh... and the bank manager must never know... :D

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Originally Posted by Moe

Its a great write-up peter. I have never driven the M2 comp but you see now why I would not have bought the vanilla M2. I drove one and it just was not M car enough. BMW seem to have agreed, and basically but a m4 into the m2 body for the comp. As I said the M2 comp may be the best of both worlds, however the lack of HUD, the poor choice of colours exterior and interior (for my gaudy tastes), and lack of adaptive suspension is a shame. On a long motorway trip where you dont want to "drive" its nice to have a soft setting. And on those roads a hard "sports plus" is nice for control and to limit rebound over bumps and keep the traction. I have some styling issues with the m2, and the packaging is a bit dinky to be my primary motor.

We were all really pushing on those roads, and all the cars were well able to keep up. The e46 is rewarding because it takes effort (my hands were very sweaty trying to keep with the pack in the e46). The M4 (and I assume the M2 comp) are effortlessly fast and corner and brake so well. I found the f10 M5 the hardest to get to speed because the mass feels like its inertia will make you crash.

Dont every underestimate tyres on all these. The m2 comp is on PS4;s, all the m4 were on PSS, the e46 was on Khumo Ecsta. Tyres are IMHO the biggest difference in the handling of a car. The e46 on Cup2's is (on a hot day) unstickable. A m4 on PS4's would be different too (the M$ cs is on them)., I do feel that BMW with all their editions are basically messing with software and tyres at this point.
The reason they make so many models is because we all have different tastes, but for me looking at my cars, the only that has the price to performance win by miles is the e46 m3. Only problem is they are getting too rare (ones in good nick anyway) and collectable to drive as they should be driven. I think the e92 m3 is also a mighty car, except that it was made at the same time as BMW were making very unreliable cars, they are a bargain at the moment too.

Life is too short to drive crappy cars. Peter is a gentleman and totally trustworthy, although I did sweat a bit when you were in the lead in the M4 and caining it.

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Cheers Moe, much appreciated!

Agree re: tyres, pretty sure the BMW First M2 Comp was on MPSS and while they were great on a dry sunny afternoon - on wet, cold, grimey roads there was no grip to speak of. The car was spinning up every time I went anywhere near the throttle... I was going nowhere fast but god, it was fun! and it never got old :D

I really need to get into an e92 asap!

Thanks again Moe, really appreciate the extended drives and really helpful to compare the cars. I suppose it wouldn't be a proper test if I didn't make you sweat a little... :p

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Originally Posted by Peter-E36

Cheers Moe, much appreciated!

Agree re: tyres, pretty sure the BMW First M2 Comp was on MPSS and while they were great on a dry sunny afternoon - on wet, cold, grimey roads there was no grip to speak of. The car was spinning up every time I went anywhere near the throttle... I was going nowhere fast but god, it was fun! and it never got old :D

I really need to get into an e92 asap!

Thanks again Moe, really appreciate the extended drives and really helpful to compare the cars. I suppose it wouldn't be a proper test if I didn't make you sweat a little... :p

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Funny you should say that about the PSS, I had them on the M5 and they were amazing, they do fall off a cliff before the tread is gone though, I used to push that car in the wet confident in the tires.

You should definitely take an E92 for a spin, the engine dominates the experience in the E92, make sure you drive a DCT too.
I can't remember where I read it but it was summed up perfectly in that the S65 is an engine Ferrari would be proud of.

Do you really think the M2 is worth dropping 100k on?

Also, give biking a go, everyone should try biking once!

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Originally Posted by Peter-E36

Something to do with new emissions regulations apparently, easily sorted aftermarket but strangely, I like it.



No arguments there, 343bhp is plenty! I think the e46 M3 chassis is so sorted that it just handles the power really well. By contrast, the Z4M with the exact same engine is ...frantic! It bites, a different kind of excitement again :D but that's why I was so surprised by how much more progressive and easy to handle the e46 M3 was at the limit.

Also agree, you don't deploy all 343bhp on the morning commute, but on a mountain road - deploy them I did :) Moe told me I had to rag it and I didn't want to disappoint him :D

Good to hear the SMG is ok in slow moving traffic. I think I'm leaning towards SMG if I was to buy an e46 M3.

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I know of a very nice one coming up for sale very soon ;)


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Cracking write up Peter- really enjoyed that! Also, good on you Moe- that’s taking club spirit to a new level!! That’s pretty much a bucket list Sunday morning for me!

Great write up Peter.
I really enjoyed that read. It was more informative, engaging, and a better put together piece than 99.9% of the journos writing for the glossy mags...

You might have found a new calling...

Also, Fair play Moe, for handing over the keys.


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I really, really want to drive a M2 Comp now, not that I would be buying one in the near future :D

I got to drive a colleagues M4 convertible this time last year and remember being completely underwhelmed by the whole experience.

Couple of people have said that to me about the m4 convertible...I dont know how it could be underwhelming, the engine is an atomic bomb of a thing but it seems to be consistent across a few people.