When the 2023 BMW M2 was officially unveiled, it was clean that BMW was aiming to cater to the old-school petrolhead in search of not just uncompromising performance but driving involvement. The G87 M2 is certainly a far cry from the more subtle M models from days past, and that’s even more apparent if you opt for the Performance Parts option. What this does is it turns the new BMW M2 from a pocket rocket into the closest thing to a road-going M2 GT4 racecar you can buy. In many ways, the 2023 M2 is a modern-day E30, and it will likely be BMW’s last driver-centric model.
The BMW M2 Proves Big Pleasure Comes In Small Packages
One of the best things about the BMW M2 is that, even as a 2023 model, the car is still relatively compact. Still, the second-generation M2 has grown up in most areas compared to its predecessor, the F87. The car measures 180.3 inches (4,580 mm) in length versus the outgoing model’s 175.6 inches (4,461 mm). In terms of width, the 2023 model boasts 74.3 inches (1,887 mm) versus the old model’s 73.0 inches (1,854 mm). In terms of height, the G87 sits at 55.24 inches (1,403 mm) versus the F97’s 55.51 inches (1,410 mm), while the wheelbase has grown from 106.0 inches (2,693 mm) to 108.2 inches (2,747 mm). One negative aspect in which the new M2 suffers is weight – it tips the scales at 3,748 pounds (1,700 kg) versus its predecessor’s 3,417 pounds (1,550 kg).
At the heart of the G87 M2 is the S58, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, inline-six that puts out 460 horsepower (343 kilowatts) at 6,250 RPM and 405 pound-feet (550 Nm) at 2,650 to 5,870 RPM. Power goes exclusively to the rear axle through a six-speed manual. For those of you who are lazy or just chasing better lap times, the eight-speed ZF automatic is also available. Depending on which option you go for, the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) takes between 3.9 and 4.1 seconds, making it 0.1-seconds quicker than the outgoing, M2 Competition model and 0.1-seconds slower than the F87 M2 CS.
It is worth noting that a more powerful version is in the works, likely the M2 Competition. It is rumored to have 483 horsepower (355 kilowatts) from the same S58, inline-six engine. With that said, knowing how BMW rates its power figures, we wouldn’t be surprised if the dyno tests reveal this upcoming model to pack the full 510 horsepower (380 kilowatts) from the M3/M4 Competition models.
The Most Motorsport-inspired BMW M2
With each newer generation of the BMW M3 (and all other models) becoming bigger and heavier, it was the first-generation BMW M2 that was considered the true spiritual successor to the BMW M3 E30. The G87 generation continues in the footsteps of the F87 even though the M2 was never a homologation special like the E30 M3, which was the definition of a race car for the road.
The real difference between the classic M3 and the M2 models is that the latter were never subtle. While the E30 M3 had its distinctive features, especially at the rear glass section, the M2 models as well as the M135i and 1M before them, were never what you would call subtle. The M2 G87 is certainly no exception, especially when equipped with the optional M Performance parts, which add radical ground effects and a tall rear wing made out of carbon fiber. All this results in the 2023 BMW M2 being the most radical-looking, road-going version of the car. More importantly, the optional parts improve downforce, and the M Performance exhaust enhances sound.
The BMW M2 Performance Parts Package May Be a Bit Too Much
While no one is arguing with the performance advantages that come with extra downforce, the M2 Performance parts package may have butchered what is otherwise a pleasant design and a nice distraction from the also-controversial large kidney grille. There is a certain beauty in functional aesthetics, but the new M2 just looks too busy with all the added carbon-fiber aero bits. Honestly, the thing looks like it crashed into a LEGO store. At the very least, BMW may have given you something else to hate instead of the latest kidney grille design.
The New BMW M2 Could Be The Last With A Manual
BMW is making big changes to its lineup in the coming years. Those include an all-electric successor to the BMW 8 Series as well as merging some of the BMW models into a single lineup. With the Bavarian carmaker being at its turning point, we can understand how the last model of its kind needs to make a strong impression, both in terms of performance and aesthetics. While BMW has vowed to keep the manual transmission alive for some time to come, the BMW M2 could be the last model without any form of electrification and a six-speed manual transmission. The function-over-form design approach is also a subtle, if not an obvious, throwback to the homologation special that was the E30 M3.