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Originally Posted by M3WC
That decision was forced by emissions, not out of the kindness of their heart.
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That's not entirely accurate. They phased out the OG M2 due to WLTP, otherwise they would have offered both the OG and M2C at the same time.
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MR: Why opt for the S55 engine and introduce such a massive change to the key character of the M2?
FvM: During the development of the M2 Competition, we faced a major challenge with regards to the N55 engine due to a number of reasons. First of all, we felt we pushed the engine performance to its limits. 370 horsepower is a great number, but we wanted more. Secondly, we needed changes to meet the new European emissions standards, and so a business decision was made to move to the S55 engine and develop a brand new exhaust system for the M2 Competition which includes the same particulate filter as on the M4.
MR: Would you have kept the base M2 available for sale, if the WLTP would not have played any role in the decision making process?
FvM: Yes, the production of the M2 LCI would not come to an end this summer if the WLTP did not play a role. We would have continued the M2 next to the M2 Competition and both cars would have been built alongside each other at the factory in Leipzig, Germany.
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Source: BMW M2 Competition: Interview with the BMW M Boss