BMW M2 Competition release date, specs news: Flagship 2 Series to arrive in April 2018

A promotional image for the BMW M2. BMW

BMW will reportedly introduce their new flagship 2 Series — the M2 Competition — this spring.

According to BMWBLOG, production for the new high-performance vehicle will begin in the summer, specifically in July. Based on the German automaker's previous launches, the world premiere of vehicles are usually scheduled two to three months before the start of production.

With this in mind, car enthusiasts could be seeing the M2 Competition by April. This means that the high-performance vehicle could break cover at the Beijing Motor Show happening that month, instead of the previously expected Geneva Motor Show in early March.

The publication also revealed that M2 Competition will ditch the current M2's iconic N55 3.0-liter TwinTurbo six-cylinder powertrain in exchange for a detuned version of the S55 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine used by the larger M3 and M4 vehicles.

In the M2 Competition, this powertrain configuration will produce 405 horsepower 369 pound-feet of torque. It's slightly less than the 425 horsepower produced by the S55 unit. Nevertheless, it is still an upgrade from the current M2's 365 horsepower.

The engine will still be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Apart from a new engine, the M2 Competition is also rumored to receive performance-related upgrades including sports-tuned suspension, brakes and rolling stock. The upcoming vehicle may also use lightweight materials in construction. These improvements will further enhance the M2 Competition's performance.

Customers can also expect to see two new dynamic colors — Silver Hockenheim, Sunset Orange. They will join the current exterior paint lineup that includes Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Mineral Grey and Long Beach Blue Metallic.

If recent reports pan out and the BMW M2 Competition does make an official appearance this April, customers will be able to expect first deliveries by late summer. Pricing will be announced closer to the official launch.

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