The 991 versus the BMW M2 - My Observations
 

I drive a 991.1 base carrera cab. I recently had an opportunity to drive the new BMW M2. While the M2 could not be driven above 5,500 RPM (still in break-in period), I have the following observations.

The M2 is truly a fantastic car. It feels faster and has more “emotion” when you push it. It handles beautifully; one feels in complete control. It has more hp (365 vs. 350) and torque (343 vs. 287) than my 991. While in my opinion it does not drive as good as my 991, the difference is not much.

I know that hp and torque do not represent the full picture. My wife used to have a BMW 335i that had more hp and torque than a 997 that I used to own. I drove the 335i once and did not bother driving it after that. The M2, however, is a completely different animal than the 335i.

Considering the price difference between the M2 and the 991, the M2 is a real bargain. After having driven the M2 car and a GTR before that I can say that the 991 base Carrera and S models are overpriced for what you get. Would I change my 991 for the M2? No. I still like my 991 better. But it is hard to justify the $40k difference (new car price, depending on options) between the M2 and the 991.

Would I buy a 911 again? Yes. But I now think that the real 'bargain' in the 911 line-up is the Turbo. I say 'bargain' in comparison with the higher price supercars that the TT competes with and beats.

Just my observations! YMMV.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Was the M2 the 6-speed manual transmission or the 7-speed dual clutch?

Can you comment on the ride and in particular the compliance on city roads? While the non-adjustable dampers are said to be a good compromise between track and road use, I've read that the rear-axle is affixed to the chassis without rubber mounts, so the rear can be a bit crashy/harsh over sharp bumps and road protrusions. Could it be a comfortable daily driver?

How does the ride compare to your 991? Does your 991 have PASM?

And yes, as an overall package, the M2 does offer a lot for it's price: sportiness, fun-to-drive, seating for 4, trunk space, amongst others.

The M2 and my 991 are both MT. The M2 has 6 gears; the 991 has 7 gears.
My 991 has sports chrono (with engine mounts) and sports+ option. No pasm.

The M2 has three settings: comfort, sport, and sport +. In comfort mode, the M2 can be a daily driver. No question. I preferred the sport+ mode though (more enthusiastic driving as should have been expected). By the same token, I drive my Porsche in Sport+ mode most of the time.
They are both daily drivers in my book except when the temperature gets in the 30s because of the tires. If you plan to drive them in the snow or near freezing temperatures, you need winter tires.

And by the way, no problem driving in city roads.

Good to know...the M2 is high on my list as an eventual replacement for the current DD, which is a 328xi! :)

The M2 is in another league. You would be happy. But remember that it is 2WD and since you are in CT, you WILL need winter tires.

Absolutely but hopefully I have couple of years to go before I need a new car

Thanks for your review. I have a manual M2 on order due to be delivered in 1 month. I can't wait to drive it, it will be my daily. I used to drive a 991 C2 PDK..and I will post my review in due time.

I drove the M2 and 718S back to back in Europe, I felt the turn in of the M2 had improved over the M3 and M4 and that was about it.

The 718S was clearly in a different league both in terms of handling dynamics and responsiveness. Also the interior of the M2 was a horror story.

The M2 is good bang for buck so is the Grand Sport

A good friend just picked his M2 up about a month ago. It came with DCT. He wanted a manual but it would have taken several months to come in so he purchased this at dealer that had one in stock (350 miles south of Houston). He was able to reduce the $5,000 premium over sticker to $3,000. I have not driven the car but I have been a passenger and these are my observations of the car. The car rides smooth enough. Similar to my old E46. It has a nice exhaust sound. Much better than the chainsaw sound of the M3/4. It is very quick but there is noticeable turbo lag below 2,000 RPM. It's only for a moment but noticeable. While the car does have different driving modes, it does not change the suspension dynamics. I believe it might sharpen the steering and throttle response but it does not change the firmness of the suspension. The interior is nice enough. It's not plush but it does not look cheap. How it compares to a base 991, I do not know. I have a 991.1 GTS and the M2 compares only in ride quality and, by my estimations, close to the acceleration of my MT GTS. After that, there is no comparison (too many to list but that is to be expected when the GTS costs a little more than twice as much). I am considering buying a used one in about 2 to 3 years to modify for track duty. I think it will do well on the track. We are both tracking our cars at MSR Houston in November and TWS in College Station in December and I will be curious about his lap times. I wish I could drive his car on the track to see how it compares to my GTS but that would mean that I would have to loan him my GTS for him to track and no can do. I will post more observations of his car after our track days.

Funny, I'm looking for a GTS but found an M2 allocation in the interim. I want to give it a whirl given all the outstanding reviews. Its never going to be a 911, but at half the the price who cares?

i personally think BMW has done a far better job with turbos than Porsche, I loved my 135i and my M5. The turbo lag in my TTS was horrible compared to these other two.

I can't wait to try the M2! still looking for a GTS though I think its a keeper..

I have driven the M2 and M4 back to back at Homeastead Speedway. The M2 held its own but once you jump into the M4 you know you are driving a much better car all around. By the way, there is no comparison to be made with a 991.1 GTS.

Two rather different cars being compared.

A street/track focused M2 would feel Lighter/more powerful/stiffer and imo much better than a base 991.1 cab. A person looking into a 991.1 cab probably wouldn't look at a an M2.

doubled up

Very much agree with this, the M2 has great turn in and feels sharper initially than the M3/M4 but after that its the M3/M4 all the way.

I drove the M2/718S back to back during a recent trip. I thought the M2 was good but nowhere near as sharp or dynamic as the 718S. In fact the M2 had pronounced turbo lag, not a deal stopper but certainly very real.

The M2 is a great value proposition and I have no doubt it will be rightly enjoyed by many.