We go above and beyond in the BMW M235i.

Should be out early 2016

X-Tomi Design is showing us his vision of the BMW M2 set to come out most likely early 2016.

The M235i Coupe might be on top of the 2-Series range right now but it won't remain there too long as BMW is planning a fully-fledged M2 which is rumored to enter production in the fall of 2015 so it will likely end up being a 2016MY. After checking out the M235i, it's not difficult to imagine how the M2 will end up looking and chances are the attached renders provided by X-Tomi Design paint a very accurate picture.

According to the latest reports, the 2016 BMW M2 will be motivated by a 6-cylinder 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine delivering up to 380 PS (279 kW) which would make it 54 PS (39 kW) more powerful than the M235i. As a consequence, expect the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) run to be completed in less than 4.8 seconds needed by the M235i fitted with the optional 8-speed automatic gearbox.

The most important of the crash tests that American cars are now being made to pass is the small overlap. Passing it can mean the difference between the driver walking away with a broken wrist tops and not walking away at all…

You’ll have no such worries in the new BMW 2-Series, though, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just tested it and awarded it its Top Safety Pick+ rating, reporting thoroughly impressive performance.

Apparently, this is a premiere for BMW, as it’s the first ever car from the brand to earn a Good or Acceptable rating in the small overlap front crash, which sees the car hitting a solid barrier at 40 mph or 64 km/h, but only making contact through around a quarter of its frontal surface.

However, BMW also offers active crash culling tech, and with the various systems specified, the 2-Series also achieves an Advanced rating for crash prevention.

Will have 370-380 PS

A new report indicates BMW will commence production of the M2 in November next year.

It's a known fact by now that BMW is preparing a fully-fledged M2 to sit above the M235i Coupe and now details are emerging about the range-topping 2-Series model. It will enter production phase in November 2015 for European markets and from March 2016 for United States.

The 2016 BMW M2 is codenamed F87 and known internally as "pyrat2" (1-Series M Coupe was "pyrat") and will adopt a more aggressive exterior styling compared to the M235i so expect beefier bumpers, wider track, larger wheels and a lowered sports suspension. Other ingredients include blue brake calipers, a quad exhaust arrangement and an M limited-slip differential.

Power is expected to come from an inline-six turbocharged gasoline engine delivering somewhere in the region of 370 - 380 PS (272 - 279 kW) transferred to the road through a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional eight-speed M DCT.

If this report turns out to be valid, the BMW M2 will likely be revealed in the first half of next year.

Could introduced sometime next year

Development work continues on the 2016 BMW M2 as our spies have caught a new prototype undergoing testing.

Despite looking like previous prototypes, this is the first one we've seen with a four-tailpipe exhaust system. The car also has an aggressive front bumper, ventilated front fenders and high-performance brakes - among other things.

BMW has been tight-lipped about specifications but the M2 is expected to use a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that develops approximately 380 PS (279 kW). This is 54 PS (39 kW) more than the M235i Coupe which can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in as little as 4.8 seconds with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission.