{"id":158075,"date":"2025-01-21T13:00:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T13:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/?p=494224"},"modified":"2025-01-21T13:00:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T13:00:09","slug":"rear-wheel-drive-or-nothing-the-story-behind-the-f87-bmw-m2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/21\/rear-wheel-drive-or-nothing-the-story-behind-the-f87-bmw-m2\/","title":{"rendered":"Rear-Wheel Drive or Nothing: The Story Behind the F87 BMW M2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Front-wheel drive might work today for most small BMWs, but when it came to the spirited 1 Series Coupe, it was a nonstarter. The original E82 two-door coupe, along with its convertible sibling, the E88, was defined by the old-school thrills of rear-wheel drive. This setup made the car an outlier in its segment, offering driving dynamics that harkened back to BMW\u2019s roots. At the top of the range was the firecracker 1 Series M Coupe, a car that we personally cherish, and own. The limited-run marvel (6,309 units) packed 335 horsepower from the N54 TwinTurbo<\/a> into its compact frame. Known affectionately as the 1M<\/a>, it became an instant cult classic, selling double the expected numbers and leaving enthusiasts clamoring for more.<\/p>\n

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Naturally, replacing the 1M and its rear-wheel-drive ethos posed a unique challenge for BMW. Around the middle of the previous decade, BMW was planning on pivoting the 1 Series range to a front-wheel drive family of cars, a move driven mostly by cost efficiency. But for two (former) key executives\u2014Klaus Fr\u00f6hlich, Board Member for Research, and Ian Robertson, Board Member for Sales and Marketing\u2014such a departure for the 1 Series Coupe\u2019s successor was unthinkable. This wasn\u2019t just another small car; it was a halo model for BMW\u2019s performance credentials and an entry point for future M car owners.<\/p>\n

The Case for a Rear-Wheel-Drive Rebel<\/h2>\n

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\u201cThe old 2002 was really cool\u2014the peak of BMW-ness in some ways,\u201d Robertson reflects in the Steve Saxty’s “BMW by Design”<\/a> books summing up the inspiration behind what he and Fr\u00f6hlich wanted to achieve. The 2002 Turbo, launched in 1973, had been a raw and quirky sports car that no other brand, except perhaps Alfa Romeo, dared to build at the time. It represented everything BMW stood for: bold performance, compact proportions, and rear-wheel-drive thrills. The pair envisioned a modern interpretation of that formula.<\/p>\n

For the new car to be a true BMW M product, it needed a six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive, no compromises. Some within BMW suggested all-wheel drive (funny enough this is coming in 2026<\/a>) or even front-wheel drive, citing the broader platform strategy. But Fr\u00f6hlich and Robertson were adamant: a front-wheel-drive M car was sacrilege, and anything less than a six-cylinder motor wouldn\u2019t carry the legacy forward. They pushed hard, eventually gaining approval for a car that would become the F87 M2<\/a>, built on a cut-down version of the 3 Series platform, much like the 2002 was derived from the Neue Klasse architecture.<\/p>\n

A Cut-Down M4 and a Bargain Halo<\/h2>\n

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Saxys tells in his books that BMW\u2019s engineers borrowed liberally from the F80 M3 and F82 M4, giving the M2 a reinforced chassis, uprated suspension, and a performance-oriented rear axle. The result was a car that felt every bit as engaging as its larger siblings but in a tighter, nimbler package. Initially, there was no M engine for it, just like the 1M’s. So the M brand went to the next best thing they had: the 3.0 liter six-cylinder N55 TwinScroll engine<\/a>. It made 365 horsepower and was offered with a DCT and a six-speed manual.<\/p>\n

The F87 M2 Competition model came two years later in 2018 featuring under the hood the turbocharged S55 inline-six engine, detuned from its application in the F80 M3 and F82 M4. It now made 405 horsepower. For purists, this F87 M2 Competition was the <\/em>car to have. The M2 Competition would now serve as the pinnacle of the 2 Series lineup, with its performance credentials filtering down to the more attainable four-or-six cylinder models, and it would lure in younger buyers who dreamed of one day owning an M3 or M4.<\/p>\n

A Small Car with Big Influence<\/h2>\n

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While the F87 M2\u2019s primary mission was to serve as a spiritual successor to the 1M and 2002 Turbo, it also had a broader impact on BMW\u2019s lineup. Its development paved the way for the 2 Series Gran Coupe, the small four-door sedan (now in its second generation<\/a>) aimed squarely at the Mercedes CLA-Class. Yet, there is one dream that remain unrealized: the 2002 Turbo Hommage. BMW planned on build this beautiful 2002 with F87 M2 influences, but the short timeline between model changes put the dream on a shelf somewhere in Munich.<\/p>\n

Instead, the F87 M2 laid the foundation for the G87 M2, a car that elevates performance to new heights while sparking even greater debate with its polarizing design.<\/p>\n

First published by https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Front-wheel drive might work today for most small BMWs, but when it came to the spirited 1 Series Coupe, it was a nonstarter. The original E82 two-door coupe, along with its convertible sibling, the E88,…<\/p>\n

First published by 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