BMW M2 supply increased to meet demand

The BMW M2 is already popular at MOTOR HQ, narrowly missing a 2017 Performance Car of the Year podium finish, and it seems it's equally popular with the punters.

Interest for the M2 has taken the German marque by surprise and demand is outweighing supply in Australia, a fact BMW Group Australia CEO, Marc Werner is keen to address.

“At the moment the demand for the M2 is extraordinary. We are actually overwhelmed by the success and we’re in daily discussion with our production partners back in Europe saying that we want to get hold of more production”.

Given the PCOTY judges surmised that the M2 to be the pick of the current M-Car lineup, Werner believes that sales of the capable coupe will continue to impress, yet they haven’t cannibalised or substituted figures for the traditional halos, the M3 and M4.

“As a matter of fact, with the M3s and the M4s, in terms of enquiries, it actually went up – and not only enquiry, but also sales volume. The launch of the M2 actually had a positive effect for our M3 and M4 sales”.

When asked about the rumoured M2 GTS (seen in camo around the Nurburgring and expected to be released later this year or in the first half of 2018) Werner was expectedly coy, implying that meeting current M2 demand is the bigger priority.

“At the moment we are fighting for additional production in order to meet the local demand. You’re currently looking at a couple of months [wait]. [Correcting] that is what we are currently focusing on … whatever comes next, that remains to be seen”.

The M2’s popularity has also contributed to a bumper year for Aussie M sales in 2016, further bolstering Australia’s position as an important market for performance variants per capita.

“M Sales are a fantastic success in my opinion. Two or three years ago we sold 500 cars, then from 500 to 1000, and last year to 1500 off the back of a very strong M2 introduction. This does not include M Performance, it’s the diehard cars,” Werner said.