It looks like BMW is going to be dropping an M2 X Drive car late next year for the US market. I am considering trading my EV6 GT in on an M2 X or M240i X drive (depending on price, as I do not want to break $80k for this, delivered, and I think the M2X could be close. I plan on fully optioning either), in late 2027-8.
Reason for trade: I now have a second car, which makes owning M/RS/AMG cars practical, because I am not putting 30K miles on them per year. I would also like something super cool that I can keep for 15-20 years and while outdated, it will still harken back to an era. Kindof like if you could have a 2003/2004 Terminator today, or an E36 M car. Etc. Having a second car allows me to enjoy it on good days and keep miles within reason. It's also a HUGE factor for maintenance, as 30K/year in any higher end ICE vehicle is nuts unless it's a Lexus, and their performance line is garbage.
Part of why I have avoided cars and gone with wagons/SUV's has been ground clearance. However, the BMW twins mentioned have absolutely absurd skidplates that are the lowest part of the car. My reason for ground clearance issue is gravel roads that sometimes have a "ridge" graded into them. I am 100% confident this plate would flatten the heck out of it. I went to the dealer and checked it out and it was SOLID. Like, I'd hold it in front of myself and let you shoot it with a .22 if spalling could be mitigated and money were involved. This along with an HONEST 5" ground clearance (to this plate, more everywhere else) makes the car viable for my AO. Conversely, the Mustang GT I browsed had well under 5" ground clearance, and that to some felt plastic nonsense.
So my questions are...
-Will the full-on M car hold value better? I suspect it will.
-Do the US market M2's or M240i's have the 48v mild hybrid system? Is it planned?
-Are there any known issues with these? I figured with them being S/B58 and ZF8 based, probably not?
-Has BMW incorporated dual injection into both B and S58 engines by now? I have heard conflicting things.
-Is there too much of an M Tax on the full on M2 cars? The dealer told me not really, but that sounds like something they'd say.
In favor of the M240i X:
-Likely more comfortable for less than perfect roads (maybe?)
-Cheaper
-Cheaper to own and insure
In favor of the M2 X:
-May hold value better as a full-on M car.
-Will perform near identical to my EV6 GT.
I feel like late 2020's is as far as I want to wait to get something like this. I feel like by 2030, everything will be hybrid, etc. and we will have entered another era of even worse nanny state nonsense. By 2027 IIHS is demanding top speed limiting things to get their top rating, and Acura (and others) already limits the top speed to 112/113 on all of their vehicles except the Integra at this point already (Yes, even the MDX-S). This is my chance to get this era's 1987 Buick GN, or the prior 429 CJ, etc. You can never go back in time and do that, and you always say "Dang man, it sure woulda been sweet, even if it's slower and more finicky than what I have today..." So this is my insurance against being my Dad, who did NOT buy a new 429CJ Mustang OR a 1987 Buick GN.
Cribbed this photo of the skidplate from a YT vid. It starts right after the front bumper tuck, and is the lowest part of the M2 I looked at the other day. This body style will be around until 2029 model close.
Reason for trade: I now have a second car, which makes owning M/RS/AMG cars practical, because I am not putting 30K miles on them per year. I would also like something super cool that I can keep for 15-20 years and while outdated, it will still harken back to an era. Kindof like if you could have a 2003/2004 Terminator today, or an E36 M car. Etc. Having a second car allows me to enjoy it on good days and keep miles within reason. It's also a HUGE factor for maintenance, as 30K/year in any higher end ICE vehicle is nuts unless it's a Lexus, and their performance line is garbage.
Part of why I have avoided cars and gone with wagons/SUV's has been ground clearance. However, the BMW twins mentioned have absolutely absurd skidplates that are the lowest part of the car. My reason for ground clearance issue is gravel roads that sometimes have a "ridge" graded into them. I am 100% confident this plate would flatten the heck out of it. I went to the dealer and checked it out and it was SOLID. Like, I'd hold it in front of myself and let you shoot it with a .22 if spalling could be mitigated and money were involved. This along with an HONEST 5" ground clearance (to this plate, more everywhere else) makes the car viable for my AO. Conversely, the Mustang GT I browsed had well under 5" ground clearance, and that to some felt plastic nonsense.
So my questions are...
-Will the full-on M car hold value better? I suspect it will.
-Do the US market M2's or M240i's have the 48v mild hybrid system? Is it planned?
-Are there any known issues with these? I figured with them being S/B58 and ZF8 based, probably not?
-Has BMW incorporated dual injection into both B and S58 engines by now? I have heard conflicting things.
-Is there too much of an M Tax on the full on M2 cars? The dealer told me not really, but that sounds like something they'd say.
In favor of the M240i X:
-Likely more comfortable for less than perfect roads (maybe?)
-Cheaper
-Cheaper to own and insure
In favor of the M2 X:
-May hold value better as a full-on M car.
-Will perform near identical to my EV6 GT.
I feel like late 2020's is as far as I want to wait to get something like this. I feel like by 2030, everything will be hybrid, etc. and we will have entered another era of even worse nanny state nonsense. By 2027 IIHS is demanding top speed limiting things to get their top rating, and Acura (and others) already limits the top speed to 112/113 on all of their vehicles except the Integra at this point already (Yes, even the MDX-S). This is my chance to get this era's 1987 Buick GN, or the prior 429 CJ, etc. You can never go back in time and do that, and you always say "Dang man, it sure woulda been sweet, even if it's slower and more finicky than what I have today..." So this is my insurance against being my Dad, who did NOT buy a new 429CJ Mustang OR a 1987 Buick GN.
Cribbed this photo of the skidplate from a YT vid. It starts right after the front bumper tuck, and is the lowest part of the M2 I looked at the other day. This body style will be around until 2029 model close.
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