Background
AC Schnitzer ACL2 (F22) was a radical concept car unveiled in 2016, created by the Aachen-based BMW specialist AC Schnitzer to demonstrate how far the compact BMW 2 Series Coupé concept could be developed. The car was based on the BMW M235i Coupé (F22) body and chassis, but it was modified so extensively that the finished vehicle had relatively little in common technically with the standard model. The ACL2 made its world premiere at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, and AC Schnitzer primarily described it as a technology platform for developing new performance, chassis, braking and aerodynamic solutions. It was not intended as a series-production model for sale, but as a unique demonstration vehicle, for which AC Schnitzer quoted a theoretical value of €149,000 at the time.
Design and aerodynamics
The appearance of the ACL2 differed dramatically from that of the standard BMW M235i. The body was widened by approximately 140 millimetres and fitted with massive wheel-arch extensions, carbon-fibre front spoiler elements, a large front splitter, lateral aerodynamic elements, a carbon-fibre rear diffuser and a large Racing rear wing with a Gurney flap. The bonnet was made from carbon fibre and featured additional ventilation openings. The intense green exterior finish with contrasting red details became one of the ACL2’s most recognisable features and made it one of AC Schnitzer’s most visually distinctive projects. The aerodynamic modifications were not purely cosmetic; they were designed to improve high-speed stability, cooling and airflow around the wheels.
Engine and performance
The most important technical modification to the ACL2 was the replacement of the standard BMW M235i engine with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder in-line engine derived from the BMW M4. AC Schnitzer increased output from 431 hp to 570 hp, or 411 kW, while maximum torque rose to 740 Nm. The engine received revised management software, an optimised carbon-fibre intake system, a specially developed exhaust system and other performance-enhancing modifications. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. The ACL2 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 10.9 seconds, while its top speed reached 330 km/h.
Lightweight construction
The letter “L” in the ACL2 name referred to lightweight construction, and AC Schnitzer used a number of special solutions to reduce the car’s mass. Carbon-fibre components, a lightweight battery, lighter seats and other details helped keep the vehicle’s weight to approximately 1,450 kilograms. The resulting power-to-weight ratio was around 2.59 kilograms per horsepower, placing the ACL2 among the very fast sports cars of its era. AC Schnitzer emphasised the principle of “Less is more” with the project – the aim was not simply to install a larger engine, but to make the entire car lighter, more precise and more powerful as a complete package.
Chassis and brakes
The ACL2 received a comprehensively reworked chassis using several components from the BMW M4 together with AC Schnitzer’s own adjustable Clubsport RS suspension. A Drexler limited-slip differential was fitted to the rear axle, with a locking effect ranging from 25 to 95 per cent. To control the increased performance, the front axle used six-piston brake calipers with 400 × 38 mm carbon-ceramic brake discs, while the rear was equipped with four-piston calipers and 380 × 28 mm discs. The chassis and aerodynamics were developed both on public roads and at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, giving the ACL2 a character much closer to a serious track car than to a conventional tuned road car.
Nürburgring
The technical capabilities of the ACL2 were demonstrated particularly clearly by its lap time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. According to AC Schnitzer, the car completed the 20.8-kilometre circuit in 7 minutes 25.8 seconds, and the company described it at the time as the fastest road-legal BMW around the Nordschleife. The result demonstrated that the ACL2 was not merely an attention-grabbing motor-show concept but a thoroughly developed and highly capable performance car.
Concept car character
It is important to emphasise that AC Schnitzer did not produce the ACL2 as a separate series-production model. The company described it as a non-sale concept vehicle and technology platform. Many of the aerodynamic, wheel and interior components used on the ACL2 were available through AC Schnitzer’s regular BMW 2 Series tuning programme, but the complete 570 hp ACL2 was never produced for customers as a series model. It therefore has no conventional production figure and should instead be regarded as a unique development and demonstration project.
Significance
The AC Schnitzer ACL2 demonstrates just how far the BMW F22 platform could be taken. The compact BMW M235i body was combined with a BMW M4 power unit, a comprehensively modified chassis, carbon-ceramic brakes and extensive aerodynamic development to create a car whose performance substantially exceeded that of both the standard M235i and the contemporary BMW M2. The ACL2 was above all a demonstration of AC Schnitzer’s engineering capabilities and became one of the company’s best-known concept vehicles, taking the classic idea of a compact rear-wheel-drive BMW almost to the level of a dedicated track car.
Model in the collection
The model in my collection was produced by Minichamps and represents the 2016 AC Schnitzer ACL2 concept car. The model was produced in a limited edition of 555 examples. Each model is individually numbered, and the example in my collection is numbered 401/555.
Technical data in brief
Introduction: 2016
World premiere: 2016 Geneva Motor Show
Base model: BMW M235i Coupé (F22)
Developer: AC Schnitzer, Aachen, Germany
Body style: two-door Coupé / concept car
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder in-line engine derived from the BMW M4
Power: 570 hp / 411 kW @ 6,100 rpm
Torque: 740 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Drivetrain: rear-wheel drive
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Kerb weight: approximately 1,450 kg
0–100 km/h: 3.9 s
0–200 km/h: 10.9 s
Top speed: 330 km/h
Nürburgring Nordschleife: 7:25.8
Production number: one concept vehicle; no series production
Special feature: a 570 hp AC Schnitzer technology platform based on the BMW M235i F22, combining a BMW M4-derived engine with extensively modified suspension and aerodynamics
Photo of the real car. Source: bmwblog.com