Last week we went to the BMW Ultimate Experience at the Estoril Racetrack. It was on the historic Portuguese circuit that, for the first time, we were able to truly feel the pulse of one of the most coveted sports cars of the German brand: the M2.

However, this was not our first encounter. At the end of 2022, in Munich, we drove the recently launched M2, but in a totally different experience and with virtual reality. 

Here the experience was pure and raw. A sports car with 460 hp of power and 550 Nm of torque at our disposal for two laps at a fast pace on the 13 curves of the Estoril track.

The acceleration at the exit of each curve puts us in the right direction, after all it only takes 4.1 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h with the BMW M2. The eight-speed automatic gearbox responds promptly to what we want and the M adaptive suspension, which comes as standard, makes a difference when we are on the circuit.

The maximum speed is 250 km/h, electronically limited, although we did not reach that value. We got close on the finish line straight, before we felt the full braking power of the M2 on curve 1 of the Fernanda Pires da Silva Racetrack. It is, in fact, in this chapter that the 4.5-meter sports car impressed us the most.

The dynamic behavior in the hook, between curves 9 and 10 of the Estoril circuit, is also noteworthy, as well as the way in which the M2 clings to the asphalt in the Parabolica, named after Ayrton Senna. Two laps passed in a flash and it was time to cool down the tires and braking system. We then moved to the passenger side and enjoyed a lap in race simulation.

Next to Francisco Martins, an instructor and movie stuntman in car scenes, we enjoyed a lap aboard the M2 at a different pace. In a kind of two-way race, the extra lap we took on the Estoril circuit offered us even more fun, since, overtaking here, overtaking there, there was a competitive pace to the finish line.

Of course, we felt the power sent to the rear wheels of this M2 in a different way and put to the test by a professional. Even without traction control, the way this sports car clings to the asphalt is noteworthy.

It is worth remembering that the BMW M2 is available in Portugal with a price starting at 89,900 euros.