The SS (terrible name! can you imagine if VW named a car SS?!) is more powerful but it’s a 4 door. The M2 is 2 door and 550Lb lighter (3450 vs 3997) making it a faster car (0-60 in 4.4 vs 4.7).

In a sense they are right. Car emissions should be take into account the car’s mileage. Today if a car does 40mpg and pollutes twice as much as a car that does 10mpg, it’s the 40mpg car that will look bad in the smog check though it actually pollutes less.