It used to be the holy grail for enthusiasts: a coupé with rear -wheel drive and a manual transmission. Low coupés with rear -wheel drive have become rare in themselves, but with a manual gearbox completely. The Porsche 911 Carrera T and BMW M2 are almost the last guardians of the manual gearbox.
Any idea how many new coupes with manual gearbox and drive on the rear wheels you can still buy in the Netherlands? As much as the number of gears that those hand trays usually have: six. The Toyota GR Supra, BMW M4, Lotus Emira and Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 are the last of the Mohikans. As well as the BMW M2 and Porsche 911 on these pages. That 911 technically twice, such as the Carrera t tested here and as a hyper-exclusive 911 GT3. It is a sad fact, especially if you are going to ride it. Because it is certainly not the best form of drive, but one of the nicest.
Thanks to the BMW M4 there is also a BMW M2
That there is an M2 at all, is largely due to the larger BMW M4. With that car, the M2 shares a lot of its technology in a slightly smaller but almost as heavy jacket. The powertrain is therefore also in principle identical. That means a 3-liter six-in-line with two Monoscroll turbos. They push the power source to 480 hp and 550 Nm of torque. Due to the emission measures, that couple no longer out of virtually idle speed. Grab a too high gear and you will be treated to a lot of nothing at the bottom of the speed. Only when the six -cylinder smells the 3,000 rpm does he wake up. And once he’s awake, the M2 gets the immovability of the tide: nothing stops him.
In contrast to the version with automatic transmission, you have to do your best much better to keep the M2 in its optimum working area. After all, you have two resistance less and you will have to do it for the most part yourself. In addition, you will get some support, because the BMW can automatically give intermediate gas, so that you do not have to go whole-and-tuing with the pedals that are not very well placed for that. But even then the M2 requires accuracy. The poker does not make a very long strokes, but has that typical rubber feeling that all BMWs have. Not enough to get bored, just enough to restrain you to be carelessly with the switch mechanism. Not error -free, but if you have the flow once, it is a good example of how a car can not only be a means of transport, but also a stimulant. In addition, the six -cylinder sounds very good, although the sound is very thick by the speakers.
The fact that such a thing is not necessarily necessary proves the 911 Carrera T. Due to all the obstructions in the exhaust process, you will hear the six -cylinder Biturbo Boxer less good than you might want on the basis of the fun -enhancing factor of that sound, it certainly sounds a lot more purer. In tunnels with the windows open, the really enjoyment is blown for those who love it. Incidentally, attentive readers will realize that the Gray Coupé on these pages is a normal Carrera. Unfortunately, there was no t available on the day of photography. We used that for all detailed photos and of course the measurement data.
The Porsche Boxer may be less strong with 394 hp and 450 Nm, the performance is still more than sufficient and the turbo is by no means lacking. The only drawback lies in the reason for this test: the manual gearbox. The transmissions that Porsche, whether or not forced, has had to choose are too long. So long that if you want to leave from a standstill by having the coupling shoot, the engine simply does not seem to have the power to get off the starting blocks quickly. Even if we give the coupling so much slip that it gets almost embarrassing, we do not get the factory specification.
That is a disadvantage, as is the fact that you are already getting the national speed limit in second gear. But operating the six -speed manual gearbox is a pleasure in itself. The somewhat stubborn seven -box from the past has given way to a transmission that shines wonderfully clear; With dry, short clicks you put the gears in and that really feels like a party.
BMW M2 Mist sharpness of Porsche 911, but is wilder
BMW not only wanted to turn the M2 into a party by mounting an increasingly rare manual gearbox, but also by making the chassis a lot wild. Just like the powertrain, you also require full attention. A short wheelbase and a lot of torque on the rear wheels guarantee upset. Although you do not get that very easily when you send in, the BMW even tends slightly to safe understeer, but you are eagerly on the gas in the bend and you see the decor flies through the side window within a fraction of a second.
Of course you first have to deactivate the DSC system (partly) and then you will have an extensively set traction control system in DSC OFF. Depending on how you set it, that still intervenes a bit, but you will certainly have to actively send it in the lower settings in order not to finish on the roadside. It is exciting, it is sensational and it is intensive. You have to love that.
If you go for the more efficient line, it is striking that the M2 feels pretty obese for its size. You can really get huge curve reasons with it, but you are working to curb the masses. It is reasonable to do. Although sturdy, it certainly spreads things well with the dampers in comfort to be able to overcome poor road surface without damage to your vertebrae.
As wild as the BMW is on, the 911 is in proportion. Compared to the Carrera-without-T, the Carrera T not only gets a manual gearbox, but also a 1 millimeter lowered sports suspension with adaptive dampers, four-wheel storing and, just like the M2, a Sper Differential with Torque Vectoring. Due to the low chassis, the 911 in its sporting setting is banging pretty well on bad roads and even in comfort the 911 feels harder.
But what you get back on smooth asphalt is a lot. It is as if the 200 kilos of lower weight compared to the M2 Pure consists of damping material around the steering column and the pedals. You feel so much more of what happens under the wheels, that the 911 feels like a much better sports car from the first corner. Crystal clear communication, lots of trust and that despite the side effect of a steering rear axle. Don’t get us wrong: the M2 is very good, but the limit of the 911 is further and you feel better. The 394 hp is by no means enough to get close to the boundaries of the chassis without forcing the place Karikatural.
Fair in the BMW M2, Porsche 911 More sports car
You notice that the 911 is a pure sports car in the interior. Yes, you can order a ‘rear seat’ as a free option, but those are actually bag holders with belts. You can see those bag holders as an expansion of the luggage space in the nose, which is also very spacious with 135 liters. No, the 911 is a double vehicle, although the registration certificate claims differently. But those two people in the front are in every luxury. The interior is beautifully finished and although the various of an analogue rev counter is a sad moment for us, the digital instruments look crystal clear.
Better in any case than the fair that BMW fires at you. The time that a BMW just had clear counters is over. Anyway: in the sportier M Modi you can make the beam that proposes a tachometer prominent and although Idrive is a bit too full with peripheral issues, thanks to the physical controller you navigate relatively easily through it. In addition, the BMW is clearly more practical than the Porsche. It shows little fellow humanity to leave passengers in the back, but in the BMW it is at least physically possible and the trunk is for the type of car of reasonable size.
As befits a premium brand, the number of options that you can tick at BMW is considerable. For the basic price of € 128,281 you have quite a bit of equipment, but to arrive at the special -looking and thick -dressed version that we drive, you have to take € 150,864 with you. Then you have everything on and on, including systems with which the BMW can drive very well in the traffic jam.
That works a little less smoothly at Porsche, although everything is on and on here too. In addition, the Porsche feels slightly more special through details, such as the walnut finish of the poker. But every square millimeter leather can be ordered here separately (and paying), which increases the total price from € 211,195 to € 238,784. That is a lot more, even though both cars are not just guardians of the manual gearbox, but very well -paid Hoeders.
In The Past, it was the Holy Grail for Enthusiasts: A Coupe With Rear-Wheel Drive and A Manual Transmission. Low Coupes with Rear-Wheel Drive Have Become Rare in Themselves, But Even So With A Manual Gearbox. The Porsche 911 Carrera T and BMW M2 Are Virtualy The Last Guardians of the Manual Gearbox.
Any Idea How Many New Coupes with Manual Gearbox And Rear-Wheel Drive You Can Still Buy In The Netherlands? As many as the number of Gears Those Manual Gearboxes Usually Have: Six. The Toyota Gr Supra, BMW M4, Lotus Emira, and Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 Are the Last of the Mohicans. As are the bmw m2 and porsche 911 on these pages. That 911 Technically Twice, Like the Carrera t Tested here and as a Hyper-Exclusive 911 GT3. It’s a sad fact, eSpecany when you drive it. Because it’s certainly not the best form of propulsion, but it is one of the most fun.
Thanks to the bmw m4, there is also a bmw m2
The fact that an m2 exists at all is largely thanks to the larger bmw m4. The M2 Shares Much of its technology with that car in a slightly narrower but almost as heavy package. The Powertrain is Therefore Basically Identical. That means a 3-liter Six-in-Line with two monoscroll turbos. These propel the engine to 480 hp and 550 nm of torque. Due to the emission-reducing Measures, that torque no longer come out at virtualy idle speed. Grab A Gear That’s Too High And You’ll Be Treated To A Whole Lot Of Nothing At The Bottom of the Revs. Only when the six-cylinder Smells 3000 revs does it wake up. And Once It’s awake, the m2 has the perseverance of the tide: nothing can stop it.
In contrast to the automatic version, you have to do much better to keep the m2 in its optal working area. After all, you have two ferwer Gears and you Will Largely Have to Do It Yourself. You do get some support, because But Even then, The M2 Demands Accuracy. The Gear Liver does not make very long strokes, but has that typical rubbery feel that all bmws have. Not enough to be boring, but just enough to keep you from carelessly handling the shift mechanism. Not Flawless, But Once You Get The Flow, It is a Good Example of How a Car Can Be Not Only A Means of Transport, But also A Pleasure Device. In Addition, The Six-Cylinder Sounds Very Good, Although The Sound is Greatly Enhanced by the Speakers.
The 911 Carrera t Proves That this is not Necessarily Necessary. Due to all the obstructions in the Exhaust System, You Hear the Six-Cylinder Biturbo Boxer Less Well Than You Might Want Based on the Fun-Enhancing Factor of That Sound, But It Certainly Sounds A Lot Purer. In tunnels with the windows open, it is a real pleasure for those who like it. By the way, Attentive Readers Will Realize That the Gray Coupe on These Pages is an ordinary Carrera. Unfortunately, no t was available on the day of photography. We did use it for all the detailed photos and of course the Measurement Data.
Althegh the Porsche Boxer May Be Less Powerful with 394 HP and 450 Nm, The Performance is Still More Than Sufficient and The Turbo is by No Means Lacking in Spectacle. The Only Drawback Lies in the Reason for This Test: The Manual Gearbox. The Ratios That Porsche, Whether or Not Forced, had too long to Choose are. So long that if you want to start from a standstill by releasing the clutch, the engine simply does not seem to have the power to get off the starting blocks quickly. Just if we slip the clutch so much that it is almost embarrassing, we do not reach the factory specifications.
That is a disadvantage, as is the fact that you already reach the national speed limit in second gear. But Operating the Six-Speed Manual Gearbox is a pleasure in itself. The somewhat Unruly Seven-Speed Gearbox From Before Has Been Replaced by a Transmission That Shifts Wonderful Clearly; You put the Gears in with Dry, Short Clicks and That Really Feels Like A Party.
BMW M2 Lacks the Sharpness of the Porsche 911, but is wilder
BMW not only Wanted to make the m2 a party by installing an increasingly weird manual gearbox, but also by deliberate making the chassis QUITE Wild. Like the powertrain, it also requires your full attention. After all, a short wheelbase and a lot of torque on the rear Wheels Guarantee Oversteer. AltheHe you don’t get that very easy when steering in, The BMW Even Tends Slightly Towards Safe Understeer, But If You Step On The Gas Too Eagly In The Corner, You See the Scenery Flying Fits Your Side Window.
Of course, you must first (partial) deactivate the dSc System and then you have an extensively adjustable traction control system in DSC off mode. Depding on how you set it, it still intervenes a bit, but you will certainly have to activy steer against it in the lower settings to avoid ending up in the dittch. It’s exciting, it’s sensational and it’s intensive. You have to like that.
If you go for the more efficient line, you will notice that the m2 feels QUITE HEAVY FOR ITS SIZE. You can really achieve enormous cornering speeds with it, but you are working to control the mass. IT is Reasonly Doable. Althegh Firm, The Suspension, Especiate with the Dampers in Comfort, Certainly Springs Enough to Overcome Bad Road Surfaces Without Damaging Your Vertebrae.
As wild as the BMW Seems, The 911 is Stoic in Compararyon. Compared to the Carrera-WHOUT-T, The Carrera t Not Only Gets A Manual Gearbox, But also A 1 millimeter Lowered Sports Suspension with Adaptive Dampers, Four-Wheel Steering and, Like the M2, A Limited With Torqueing. Due to the Low Suspension, the 911 Bumps Considerably on Bad Road Surfaces in its sporty setting and just in comfort the 911 Feels Harder.
But what you get in return on smooth Asphalt is very, very much. It is if if the 200 kilos Lower Weight Compared to the M2 Purely Consists of Damping Material Around the Steering Column and Pedals. You feel so much more of what is Happening Under the Wheels that the 911 Feels Like a Much Better Sports Car From the First Corner. Crystal Clear Communication, A Lot Of Confidence and That Despite the Additional Feature of a Steering Rear Axle. Don’t get us Wrong: The M2 is very good, but the limit of the 911 is Further and you Feel Better. The 394 HP is by no means enough to get close to the limits of the chassis without caricaturely forcing things.
Funfair in the BMW M2, Porsche 911 More Sports Car
You can tell that the 911 is a pure sports car from the interior. Yes, you can order a ‘back seat’ as a free option, but thesis are actual bag holders with seat belts. You can see Those Bag Holders As An Extension of the Luggage Space In The Nose, which is also not very spacious at 135 liters. No, the 911 is a two-person vehicle, even if the registration certificate says otherwise. But Those Two People in the Front are in complete Luxury. The Interior is Beautifully Finished and AltheHeH the Passing of An Analogue Tachometer is a Sad Moment for US, The Digital Instrumentation Looks Crystal Clear.
In any case, better than the fair that bmw throws at you. The time when a bmw simply had clear counters is over. But Okay: In The Sportier M Modi You Can Have The Bar That Repeats A Tachometer Prominently Displayed and Althegh Idrive Is A Bit Too Full Of Side Issues For Our Liking, You Can Navigate Through It Relatively Easily Thanks To The Physical Controller. In Addition, The BMW, Clearly More Practical Than The Porsche is. It shows Little Compassion to Let Passengers sit in the back, but in the bmw it is at Least Physicaly Possible and the Trunk Is of Reasonable size for the type of car.
As Befits A Premium Brand, The Number of Options You Can Tick At BMW is Considerable. For the basic price of € 128.281 you have QUITE A BIT of Equipment, but to get to the particularly eye-catching and richly decorated version we drive, you have to bring € 150.864. Then you have everything on it, including systems with which the bmw can very creditly drive itself in traffic jams.
That works a little less smoothly at Porsche, Although Everything is also on it here. In Addition, The Porsche Feels Just a Little More Special Due to Details, Such as the Walnut Finish of the Gear Liver. But you can order (and pay for) Every Square Millimeter of Leather Separately Here, which Increases The Total Price from € 211,195 to € 238.784. That is very, very much more, just thought both cars are not just guardians of the manual gearbox, but very well-peid guardians.