For some bizarre reason yet to be explained to the universe, Satch and Roundel motorsports editor Brian Morgan decided to send me and my wife, Valerie, to the 63rd Twelve Hours of Sebring (article coming soon to a Roundel near you!). Despite shifting from the twenty-degree Cleveland winter to a ninety-plus-degree Florida swamp, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. And aside from the awesomeness that is BMW racing, the conversations with Matt Russell and Tom Plucinsky were especially, well, special.

    Matt and Tom are a pair of BMW North America gurus who have significant say in the development of all those BMWs that we love; this creates some interesting banter around the BMW tent—interesting and revealing banter. And not in the way I was expecting.

    Me: “So, what engine is going in the new M2?”

    Matt: “What M2?”

    Valerie: “You’re not a very good at poker, are you?”

    Matt: “Not really.”

    Russell may not be the greatest card player, but he certainly knows how to get inside the minds of BMW enthusiasts. Of all the tidbits he provided, perhaps the most basic—and yet oh, so important—aspect of creating a new vehicle, especially when the M badge is involved, comes down to The Decision: Develop an existing model, or create something entirely new?

    For example, occupying the first mentality is the 1 Series M Coupe which cross-bred an M3 suspension with the ubiquitous-but-celebrated N54 engine, albeit an N54 blueprinted and tweaked by the wizards at M GmbH. The new M3/M4 duo sits firmly in the latter camp, with its over-reaching S55 engine and solid rear subframe.

    What of the mysterious M2 that definitely does not exist?

    Personally, I would like to see a bit of both approaches, using the F82 chassis powered by a four-cylinder with about 350 BMW-land ponies, with weight as close to 3,000 pounds as possible. The result would be lower overall weight and a more rearward bias. For the marketing department, I think we all recall a rather successful M car powered by a four-cylinder; it’s even the 40th anniversary of BMW factory racing in North America, and I’ve been told that those E30 M3s won a few races.

    If the inevitable straight six makes an appearance, then I vote for a smaller-displacement version of the S55: higher revs (8,000 or more, please), a little less horsepower (still in the 350-to-400 range), but lower torque. Let’s call it the S55B25. Otherwise, maybe we will get an S58 powerplant based on the new B58 long-stroke engine. What I really hope we won’t see—but what will probably manifest itself as the M2 engine—is a de-tuned version of the S55B30.

    Whatever lives under the hood, it will be potent, even if Matt and Tom will neither deny nor confirm the car’s existence.

    Ever suspect that your BMW motor has a very conservative power rating? According to Russell—and confirmed by independent dyno tests across the globe—the stated horsepower and torque for BMWs these days are for the “worst day possible, involving the worst-case scenario: in the heat and a mile high.” So yes, your new M3 or M4 does put our 425 bhp on your way to Breckenridge in 101ºF heat. Maybe even after a spark-plug wire goes a bit wonky.

    Wonder what Matt Russell would drive if he were handed the keys to one brand-new BMW? It seems that he is taken with the new X5 M, as are most people who have been allowed to test the new model. Or an i8. Or maybe even the new M3, a car that is practically Matt’s baby. Yeah, I like his “one” car choice, too; who really wants to live with just one roundel in the garage?!

    A picture may tell a thousand words, but a truly thought-proving conversation can offer a glimpse into the way an entire company thinks—even a company as vast as BMW. And that's what you get when you sit down with Matt Russell and Tom Plucinsky on a warm evening in Florida. You will also learn that Plucinsky is a full-fledged watch aficionado, possessing both passion and ability—he can literally reduce a mechanical watch to its bare bones, then reassemble it. Impressive.

    Matt and Tom, I am already looking forward to our next discussion—not to learn secrets about new vehicles, nor to glean the newest gossip at BMW, but to talk cars with two through-and-through car enthusiasts. It warms my heart to know that these are the types of people actively shaping our favorite car company. And for everyone reading this, you should seek out the BMW NA crew in New Jersey when you’re there for Oktoberfest. I suspect that they will be lurking about. After all, we're going to be in BMW NA’s back yard.—Chris Doersen