AC Schnitzer ACS2 Sport 'Competition' 2019 first drive

In the metal the ACS2 Sport is a total attention-magnet. The paint helps, but the M2 Competition is already a pleasingly thuggish car at a standstill, and Schnitzer’s version somehow ploughs even more of that into the improbably small footprint. What you really notice is the dropped ride height, which is exaggerated by forged 20in wheels that rise up to perfectly fill the wheel arches. We’ll come back to the wheels in a moment.

Inside, it’s restrained but with touches that – like everything – you can either take or leave. We’d leave the logoed handbrake cover but take the milled aluminium pedals and, possibly, the new gearshift paddles. As plates of thinly cut metal and drilled, they’re a bit Meccano to look at but satisfying to use. Everything else in here is from the factory, including the excellent seats. There’s no cage, no harnesses and almost no Alcantara.

It wasn’t so long ago that a brand new M5 had 500bhp. With the ACS2 Sport, we’re talking about a car not one class below that benchmark but two. And with 480lb ft, Schnitzer's tuned straight six also makes a fifth more torque than the high-revving V10 in the E60 M5.

Does it feel like a car that should accelerate to 100mph in around eight seconds? Not at first, although you can't really accuse the body of writing cheques the powertrain doesn't cash. The ACS2 is freakishly quick in a straight line, although as with the donor car, the engine’s delivery is now so linear that it all seems less dramatic than it might. The engine note – deeper, more booming, louder but more nasal than before  – is also still a bit uniform, although it fires the car to 150mph on the autobahn without hesitation. Is this a 200mph M2? With enough space, maybe. 

Something to note: AC Schnitzer reckons the standard M2 Competition is such a convincing driver’s car that it would have sold at a healthy rate even were the asking price well in excess of the current £51,030. It would therefore argue that an M2 Competition-based ACS2 Sport – one with a good smattering of modifications, if not all the available options – is still good value. 

Another thing to consider is that not only are AC Schnitzer’s changes offered under warranty, but also the underlying BMW warranty isn’t necessarily voided by the new parts or software. 

But here’s one more thing: you can buy the new Porsche Cayman GT4 for the price of the car we’ve driven here. Admittedly it’s nothing like as practical as the Schnitzer and won’t feel quite as unique on the road, but that’s the level of dynamic talent available on this budget and it’s a level the ACS2 Sport doesn’t match.

A factory M2 Competition is also a more sweetly rounded car than the AC Schnitzer and would put its softer chassis to better use on British roads. 

But none of this is to say there's no place for the tuned car. The engine and suspension modifications work well and add around £8000 to the basic M2 Competition price. If you go with those but keep the 19in factory-fit wheels, you’d be left with a four-seat coupé that's faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera S, comes chock-full of character, rides with good fluidity at speed and is well suited for track days, all for less than £60,000. 

AC Schnitzer ACS2 Sport specification

Where Aachen, Germany Price See text On sale Now Engine 6 cyls, 2963cc, twin-turbo, petrol Power 496bhp at 7000rpm Torque 480lb ft at 2350-5200rpm Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight 1625kg 0-62mph 4.2sec (est) Top speed 190mph (est) Fuel economy na CO2 na Rivals Litchfield BMW M2 Competition, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4