Watch this doorless, 1,085bhp single-seat M2 drift through the BMW factory

“The vehicles shown do not correspond to the standard BMW M series vehicles,” explains BMW in a fairly obvious statement. Chiefly because the vehicles shown are stripped out, hardcore BMW M2 drift machines. Going forwards in a straight line is not a speciality.

Going sideways around BMW’s Munich factory floor however, rather is. It’s been built by the Red Bull Driftbrothers to use in competition, who figured a lairy hotride around the HQ would be the perfect test.

Top Gear is inclined to agree. Because, explains BMW in another fairly obvious statement, the factory floor is “an environment that is actually the complete opposite of a race track: instead of well-trodden kerbs and gravel beds, the track is surrounded by precisely calibrated robots and state-of-the-art equipment”.

For the drift brother tasked with wrestling the mad M2 around Munich – Elias Hountondji – that means no run off, and “zero tolerance for errors”. Cue the smokey stuff.

BMW hasn’t specified exactly what’s been done to this M2, only that it delivers that rather bountiful horsepower figure, along with 922 torques. Safe to say that’s likely the hardest working 3.0-litre sixer in BMW’s service. “Significantly modified,” is the company line.

So, enjoy a “professional driver performing on a pre-planned and closed route for entertainment purposes”.