The G87 is BMW's most affordable M vehicle as of July 2023. Full-on M vehicle, that is, not M Performance cars and sport utilities that don't feature M-specific powertrains.
Heavier than the F87, the second-generation M2 gained a few pounds over its predecessor due to the CLAR platform of the M3 and M4, all the way up to the XM. The CLuster ARchitecture also led to the demise of the original's dual-clutch transmission for a torque-converter automatic. Thankfully, a manual still is available, as you'd expect from a compact-sized coupe.
Based on the B58 engine of the M240i, the S58 in the M2 is pretty similar to that of the M3. On paper, the biggest differences concern both power and torque. For the 2023 model year, the G87 cranks out 453 horsepower at 6,250 revolutions per minute and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) at 2,650 revolutions per minute.
In the M3's case, that would be 473 horsepower at the very same 6,250 spinnies and 406 pound-feet at 6,250 as well. Pictured in Sao Paulo Yellow, which is a no-cost exterior paint color, the M3 in the video below is the Competition specification. This version comes exclusively with the ZF-supplied automatic, whereas the red M2 in said video features the manual gearbox.
An idea lighter than its four-door sibling, the M2 is badly outgunned in terms of power and torque. Both the M3 Competition and M4 Competition – be it RWD or AWD – belt out 503 horsepower at 6,250 revolutions per minute and 479 pound-feet (650 Nm) at 2,750 revolutions per minute. Given their numbers and trannies, can you guess which one's faster in a race? Spoiler alert: starts with M and ends with Competition.
If you're in the market for an S58-engined thriller, prepare to pony up $62,200 (sans destination charge) for the M2. When equipped with the ZF 8HP automatic, zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) should be dealt with in as little as 3.9 seconds. The M3 Competition without xDrive hits that speed in 3.8 clicks, and US pricing for this version kicks off at $80,200.
Prospective customers with small kids haven't been forgotten either. Although the M3 Touring isn't available stateside, the X3 M Competition and coupe-styled X4 M Competition are. They're even produced in the United States at Plant Spartanburg, where BMW makes everything from the X3 all the way to the XM.
The M2 comes from Mexico, where lesser versions of the 2 Series Coupe are manufactured as well. The G87 is BMW M's final purely internal combustion-engined vehicle as the M division pivots to electrified performance. It all started with the S63-replacing S68 twin-turbo V8, which is designed for hybrid applications (think mild hybrid in M60i models and plug-in hybrid in the XM and next-generation M5).
Manuals are going the way of the dodo as well. The upcoming mid-cycle refresh of the M2 is expected to start production in April 2025, then end production in July 2029. With its dismissal, the Bavarian automaker will also bid auf Wiedersehen to the manual tranny.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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