Report: BMW Says No to M2 Convertible

Following the debut of the fiercely capable and fun coupe, there will not be a BMW M2 convertible in tow. According to BMW chief engineer Frank Isenberg, there’s just no place for an open-top M2 when the M235i convertible already exists.

“Convertibles are not for racetracks, they’re for cruising,” Isenberg told CarAdvice.au at the M2 launch event.

While we wholeheartedly agree with this assessment, it’s frankly a bit surprising to hear that BMW won’t build a drop-top M2 anyway. After all, there is an M4 convertible, and you can bet it helps BMW rake in fat stacks every time one drives off the dealer lot.

“We need to keep it as purist as we did with the 1 Series M Coupe,” he continued.

Isenberg admits to CarAdvice.au that the new BMW M2 isn’t the same wild child as the 1M, but that didn’t mean it was any more likely a candidate to have its roof slashed. What this tells us is that BMW recognizes the M2 as the true enthusiast’s choice, combining both performance and driver engagement at the highest level.

It’s not earth-shattering to hear this kind of performance-first thinking from an engineer. But it also wouldn’t be the first time an engineer’s voice was drowned out by board members and product planners with dollar signs for eyes.

The 2016 BMW M2 is on sale now, starting at $52,695.

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