If I decided on a 2018 it would be my daily driver and would also serve as my HPDE instructor car; if PP1 and/or PP2 GTs aren't intended for track duty I won't consider it.
To me it's really just a matter of personal preference; my 2er DD has the ZF 8HP automatic and I couldn't be more pleased with it- it averages @26 mpg and is faster around most any road curse or drag strip than its manual equivalent. I'm confident that the 10 speed will be equally good.
I'm...
Before I bought my CPO M235i in January 2016 I also considered a Camaro SS 1LE, a Challenger SRT8, a 2013 Boss 302, a 2016 Mustang GT Premium PP, a Lotus Elise, a 370Z NISMO, a Cayman S, and a WRX STI. However, when all was said and done the 2er's combination of compact size, ample acceleration...
That's been my experience, having owned BMWs since 1983. My M235i has been my HPDE instructor car for two years with absolutely no issues. Ditto for the E36/5 that saw the track from 1996-2012. That said, I'm interested in the 2018 Bullitt; that or the M2 Competition will be my next DD.
Also...