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I think a lot of people are taking this review too seriously. These guys love to kid around with tongue in cheek humor. Almost every video they do involves each guy picking a car and then they tease each other about which one is best. Very much a Top Gear / Grand Tour plot line. Doesn't matter which two cars or who picks what, it's going to be like that. If they switched cars from the beginning it would have been the same plot line, just different characters.
Thomas, the M2 owner, is a very talented track driver. They get to test all sorts of cars, many far more expensive and exotic than the M2. They have enough money to buy anything they want. For him to pick an OG M2 to buy for himself shows a deep level of thought and very specific taste. It goes to the fact that the M2 is a very pure, engaging, analog driver's car (believed by many to be one of the last great "analog" M cars). Very different than the new M240i. You pick them for different reasons.
My family has owned, and currently owns, several B58/ZF8/X-drive "M Lite" vehicles and it's a great powertrain. I also own a 2020 M2 Comp 6-speed. There are worlds of difference between the cars and powertrains. Different missions. True M cars have much bigger and more capable brakes, much tighter suspension tuning, and they ditch bushings and dampers throughout the driveline to remove slack and tighten things up. Some of this is detrimental to overall comfort practicality. It's a tradeoff people make. There should be no confusion here.
While I respect the B58/ZF8 powertrain it's not nearly as fun as the arrangement in my M2 Comp. I see the same division between the M240i and M2. Similar comparisons and arguments have been made comparing the Supra and M2 over the years, and it's the same old song. If you want manual transmission, analog feel, and classic M car behavior, there is only one choice.
If anything, this review has me more excited for the next generation M2. It's going to have to be fantastic. Besides bringing M characteristics in brakes, suspension, driveline, it has a high bar to exceed in the powertrain department to be better than the M240i. Bringing a 6-speed manual and analog feel will be important to keeping with a true M2 heritage. I hope they don't blow it.
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