Remember that sixteen second teaser video that appeared on the BMW M on YouTube channel about a month ago? How about the eighteen second follow up that was posted a week later? We can be candid about both and admit that they seemed a bit heavy on the hype side, but as our own David Rose explained last month, there is a purpose behind all of the (literal) smoke and other mind-bending visual effects.
As David reveals, BMW has a strong history of using the medium of video as a marketing tool beyond the standard fare of the 30-second TV spot—although the brand has done quite well in this realm as well—with most of the focus on showcasing performance at its highest levels. We’ve already shown you some of the best highlights since the start of the new millennium, but a quick YouTube search can easily lead to veritable rabbit hole of older ads and other short films that date back to what many romanticize as the golden years of the automaker.
Circling back to the M2 Competition, this weekend saw the release of what seems to be the penultimate video explaining how the stunts were carried out. The record for a human cutting through rolled straw mats in one minute is 87, and the most balloons popped via laser in one minute by a human is 63. While these choices might appear a bit strange at first, the M2 was the perfect record breaker to attempt these kinds of feats, courtesy of its short wheelbase and high-strung M TwinPower Turbo S55 engine. BMW will always have its critics who question the future of the company, but videos like the ones below highlight a laser focus that remains zeroed in on driving. Without further adieu, check out the M2 using its nimble handling ability to best the aforementioned human world records in the three videos below.—Alex Tock
https://youtu.be/QzJeQOibd5s
https://youtu.be/L_LjpR1201Y
[Photo and video content courtesy BMW AG.]
