In an intimate event at Karrera Café in Alabang, BMW Philippines officially launched the latest M2 Coupe.

Following the success of last generation’s F87 with some 150 units sold locally, the current-generation G87 M2 keeps the same formula in an updated package. Short wheelbase minus the weight keeps the engine in the front, but this sends the power to the rear wheels, and you get a metric load of driving joy.

The wheelbase is slightly longer at 2,747mm from the F87’s 2,693mm, with the body itself physically longer as well at 4,580mm. The M2 is also wider at 1,887mm, but a touch stouter at 1,403mm in height. This being a BMW, the weight is nearly perfectly distributed 50:50 front to back.

The powerplant gets an upgrade as well, with the turbocharged 3.0-liter in-line-six S58B30T0 developing a healthy 460hp and 550Nm, up from the previous generation by 90hp.

It’s coupled to the rear wheels through an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission with Drivelogic through an M Sport differential.

Adaptive M suspension and M compound brakes help keep that power planted on the ground. Mix all that together, and you get a dizzying 0-100km/h time of 4.3 seconds.

Besides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the BMW iDrive running BMW OS8 allows for additional vehicle customization on its massive 14.9-inch control display. The 12.3-inch information display also features BMW’s Live Cockpit Plus to keep everything you need to know visible yet nice and tidy.

Two M switches on the steering wheel lend quick access to presets for the engine, the transmission, the suspension, the steering, and the driver aid modes, all configurable from the setup button located at the center console.

Just like the M3 and the M4, the M2 also comes with the M Drift Analyzer, scoring your sick drifts like some video game while recording statistics for improvement—that, or bragging rights.

There are rear seats, and they seem to have a bit more space than some in the M2’s class, but the legroom is not particularly inviting. It does have Isofix anchors for child seats, making it just that much more practicable.

The doors have a pixelated version of the M badge on soft-touch stitched material. Illuminated highlighters give some mood lighting throughout the cabin, coupled with the class of a dark M headliner in Anthracite. Triple-zone climate control, automatic rearview mirrors, and a wireless charging pad for your smartphone make things just that little bit more convenient.

Par for the course these days, you also get BMW’s suite of driver aids. BMW’s Driving Assistant gives parking assistance, front and rear collision warning, lane-departure warning, cross-traffic warning, and cruise control with braking function. Automatic headlights and wipers come standard as well.

The Pure trim has Alcantara and Sensatec faux leather upholstery along with aluminum rhombic trim pieces for the interior. The seats have manual controls, but give a decent amount of customization for bolstering and whatnot. Blue stitching gives both front and rear some flair, while an embossed BMW logo tops the whole affair off.

If you spring for the Carbon trim, well, you get carbon. The electrically adjustable M carbon fiber reinforced plastic bucket seats upholstered in Merino leather give better bolstering around turns.

A smattering of carbon-fiber trim for the dash and the center console—plus a carbon-fiber insert on the bottom of your steering wheel—all remind you of the P2,900,000 extra you’ve paid for.

The carbon-fiber roof—part of the M Race Track package—sheds additional weight up top. You also get a Harman Kardon audio upgrade, and an M Driver’s Package that bumps up the Carbon’s top speed to 290km/h versus the Pure’s 250km/h.

Both trims get 19-inch light alloy wheels up front, and 20-inch ones for the rear. The Carbon, however, gets the bicolor M variant.

The BMW M2 Pure is available for P5,990,000, and the Carbon goes for P8,890,000. Both are available in Alpine White, Zandvoort Blue, M Brooklyn Gray, Black Sapphire, and M Toronto Red.

And, if your inner motoring puritan beckons for the one true transmission (and likely one of the last few ones in its class), a six-speed manual option is available via indent order.

There’s no word if a Competition package is on the horizon, but history tells us it’s likely bound to come.