Now that is quick! It was earlier this month when BMW unveiled the brand-new M2 to the world. We haven’t even flipped the calendar and Manhart has already announced a derivative of the baby M car. As you’d expect, the tuned product has a rather uninteresting name. The Germans call it the MH2 560.
Where to start? The performance department, obviously! The standard M2 offers 460hp/550Nm from its 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbocharged engine. By the way, BMW uses the same mill, albeit in a different state of tune, in the M3 and M4 cars. What Manhart has done is take that powerplant and beef it up so that it now produces 560hp/650Nm. Simple math reveals an increment of 100hp/100Nm over the donor product.
Complementing the power and torque upgrade is a stainless steel exhaust system with valve control and downpipes. There’s the option to have the system with or without catalytic converters. Also, Manhart OPF-delete pipes with 200 cells HJS catalytic converters and a choice of 4 x 100 mm carbon or ceramic-coated tailpipes will be available as well. And to further hone the handling of the M car, Manhart has devised a suspension upgrade. For customers, there will be two options – full coilover suspension and lowering springs.
The MH2 560 rides on Manhart Concave One rims, finished in silk matte black with golden pine stripes. The same colour combination is pretty much everywhere on the exterior, which also boasts carbon elements. That list includes front flicks, rear spoiler, side flicks, aero flicks at the front and rear, roof spoiler and that mean-looking diffuser. The four tailpipes add to the drama.
You have to agree that the shamelessly-aggressive-looking coupe, opinions about which have been quite polarising, looks even more hardcore with Manhart’s treatment. And one could customise the interiors to match the eye-popping exterior. Say you had the money. Would you go the Manhart way?