BMW M2 (G87) | PH Used Buying Guide
Still no looker, but a secondhand G87 is now half the price of a new CS...
Key considerations
- Available from £46,500
- 3.0-litre straight six petrol twin turbo, rear-wheel drive
- Brilliantly effective and reassuring evolution of the F87 and the 1M
- You can have it with a manual or auto box
- Challenging looks for some, and it hasn't been issue-free
- Still, It's got 450hp+ and it can look bazzing in the right colour
This time around we're having a sweaty rummage in the 'pocket rocket’ box with a PH buyer's guide on the G87 BMW M2. This second-generation M2 was announced in late 2022 for an April 2023 production startup alongside the 2 Series Coupé at BMW's San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico. It had a big weight of expectation on its shoulders. BMW had made a statement about big power in small rear-wheel drive packages as far back as 1986 with its E30 M3, or further back still to 1973 if you wanted to include the 2002 Turbo, and why wouldn't you? The considerable talents and popularity of the preceding F87 M2 built on that commitment and by the looks of the gen-two M2 they weren't going to be turning back on it anytime soon. Hurray!
The key link between old and new was of course the 2010 E82 1 Series M Coupe, or 1M as it's more commonly known. Intoxicated by the 1M's 340hp/332lb ft N54 3.0 turbo straight six, car journos everywhere were happy to shower BMW's first turbocharged M car with plenty of awards. This task was made easier if you overlooked high-speed dynamics that were binary enough to turn your hair grey in the length of one corner.
Depending on which bit of the internet you look at, the 1M is now either the best M car ever or the worst M car ever. It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks about it, though, because its fearsome reputation and the allocation of just 450 examples to the UK market means that its classic status here at least is already assured. As are its values: you'll do well to find a 1M for sale at under £40k. Low-mileage examples will be nearer to £70k.
The gen-one F87 BMW M2 that followed the 1M in 2016 was a much better sorted and less divisive proposition. Launched two years after the launch of the 2 Series as the new entry point into BMW's M range, the 1,565kg M2 offered 370hp and 343lb ft courtesy of another non-M-bespoke 3.0 turbo six, this time an N55. Running that unit's power and torque through a six-speed manual gearbox (a seven-speed auto was also available) gave you the possibility of a 0-60mph time in the mid fours. Post-LCI (2018-on) M2s were all Competition models with a 410hp S55 engine, modified steering, stability control, rear diff and brakes, and stiffer M3/M4 front suspension. 2019-on CS models raised the S55's outputs to 450hp and 406lb ft.
Stats were one thing. Indeed, first-time drivers of an E82 1M might think they were the only thing. The F87 however was a far more rounded machine, generating (1) an explosion of positive reviews that didn't need to be recalibrated at a later date and (2) a long waiting list of excited buyers. Owners affectionately christened it 'OG' which some say stands for Original Gangster. Every day's a school day.
There was a two-year gap between the end of the gen-one F87 M2 in 2021 and the start of the gen-two, CLAR-platformed G87 M2 in 2023. As is always the way with new cars, weight was up - the G was 230kg heavier than the F - but then so were the power and torque of the G87's new S58 straight six turbo. The base model G's 460hp and 406lb ft put it in the same 0-60mph time ballpark as the F87 CS. A mid-cycle refresh for 2025 model year cars that went on sale in the UK in 2024 brought new paint schemes, wheels, exhaust tips, a flat-bottom steering wheel and M4-equalling outputs of 480hp and 442lb ft, but that enhanced torque figure was only available on the eight-speed M Steptronic autos: the six-speed manuals weren't reliability-rated for much more than the existing 406lb ft. The 0-60mph time for the manual stood at 4.1 seconds, the time for the auto beginning with a 3.
The price for the refreshed M2 rose by just under £1,000 to £63,360. A carbon-roofed, ducktail-spoilered, forged-wheeled CS version was unveiled in May 2025 for sales starting in the third quarter of that year. It had less weight (around 30kg down on the regular model), more power (nearly 50hp up to a new figure of 530hp) and a new torque output of 479lb ft which brought the end of the manual option. The result was a 0-62mph time of 3.8 seconds, a top speed with the standard Driver's Package of 188mph, and a combined fuel consumption of nearly 29mpg.
Impressive stuff, but is the regular G87 M2 still as impressive now in early 2026 as it was three years ago? Is it a bargain at used prices starting from £46,500 for a 20,000-miler? Is now the time to buy, given that it's looking like this model will be gone three years from now, or should we be waiting for prices to drop further? So many questions. Let's look for some answers.
SPECIFICATION | BMW M2 (G87, 2023-on)
Engine: 2,993cc straight six 24v twin turbo petrol
Transmission: 6-speed manual or 8-speed Steptronic auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 460@6,250rpm
Torque (Ib ft): 406@2,650-5,870rpm (442 in 2024MY Steptronics)
0-62mph (secs): 4.1 (auto), 4.3 (man)
Top speed (mph): 155 (limited)
Weight (kg): 1,775
MPG (official combined): 28.8
CO2 (g/km): 198
Wheels (in): 9.5 x 19 (f), 10.5 x 20 (?)
Tyres: 275/35 (f), 285/30 (?)
On sale: 2023 - on
Price new (2024): £62,420
Price now: from £46,000
Note for reference: car weight and power data are hard to pin down with absolute certainty. For consistency, we use the same source for all our guides. We hope the data we use is right more often than it's wrong. Our advice is to treat it as relative rather than definitive.
ENGINE & GEARBOX
The M2's S58 engine was slightly down on power compared to in the M4, but you wouldn't hear many owners complaining about a shortage of performance. Response was immediate and it sounded brilliant too through the sports exhaust. You could calm the rasping down once you were on the move, the main sensation in cruise mode being refinement, but the default rev and roar on startup could seem embarrassingly loud in tightly housed neighbourhoods.
The M2's default gearbox was an eight-speed M Steptronic ZF auto, with a six-speed manual as an option. The auto wasn't a twin-clutcher, but that didn't seem to be an issue on the road where it impressed with fast and well-judged changes. BMW M's head of development, the exotically-named Dirk Hacker, said in the G87 M2's launch year of 2023 that dual-clutch transmissions would never return on M products, for reasons of both cost and comfort. Plus he reckoned the M2's Steptronic (with standard Drivelogic offering three shift settings) performed better than a DCT anyway, and it had electronic launch control to boot. After back-to-back testing most would probably come to the conclusion that the ZF auto was more user-friendly on a daily basis than the otherwise excellent manual box, which also had launch control and Gear Shift Assistant to smooth out downshifting into corners.
Paying £2,305 for the Driver's Package unshackled the 155mph limiter and hoisted the top speed to 177mph. The official average fuel consumption claim of 29mpg was borne out in reality. Even magazine leadfeet struggled to get it under 26mpg while managing 32mpg on easier drives. A 52-litre (11.5-gallon) tank gave it a real world range of over 300 miles on either normal unleaded or the expensive stuff hinted at by the fuel cap sticker.
One Germany-based G87 M2 owner reported a worn-out clutch on his 2024 manual after just 13,000km (8,000 miles), generating a dealer repair estimate including parts and labour of over £5,000 for a new clutch plus a dual-mass flywheel. No reduction was offered by BMW for what was described as a ‘wear and tear' item, with the phrase 'spirited driving' being used as a possible cause.
Other manual M2 drivers have noticed occasional baulkiness when trying to engage first from neutral. At least two manual owners saw 'check engine' lights and disappearing gear numbers on their dash displays along with 'gear level position invalid’ diagnostic readouts. One was told he might need a new transmission after the dealer had tried the hopefully easy fix of replacing a sensor. That was in early 2024. We don't know what happened next. Some owners have reported inconsistent shifting on the autos, with the car sometimes refusing to go into eighth in auto mode or 'sticking' in lower/intermediate gears even when the throttle was lifted. This usually seemed to occur when the car wasn't fully warmed up. Other owners online said it was a normal powertrain characteristic, or that it might be due to excess soot in the particulate filter.
Normal service intervals were every 10,000 miles. Independents will do a basic oil service for £210-£250 and a bigger one every 40,000 miles including new air and fuel filters, new spark plugs and new trans/diff fluid for £450-£500, depending on where you live. There have been no M2-specific drivetrain recalls but G87s have been included in a global recall relating to a potential starter fire risk that affected 575,000 BMWs.
CHASSIS
The standard M2 chassis was a shortened version of the 3 Series saloon's CLAR platform. The spec was as comprehensive as you'd expect from a sporting BMW, combining adaptive dampers with variable ratio Servotronic steering, Dynamic Stability Control with M Dynamic Mode, and M Compound brakes with six-piston calipers at the front and a choice of two pedal feel settings. The standard active M Differential delivered up to 100 per cent locking effect. Staggered 19-inch and 20-inch wheels were an inch up in diameter over the M3 and M4.
The G87's extra length and width compared to the F87 required the driver to concentrate a bit more on the road, especially in towns where the alloys were vulnerable. You also needed to make allowances for the slightly nobbly ride on Britain's pothole-blasted roads, which with the firmish sports seats could lead to some discomfort on longer trips, but the 300-mile range would come to your rescue there by getting you off the road for a fillup and a rest. It was a price worth paying for the M2's superb rear-drive manners on smoother roads. The handling was secure in just about every weather condition.
Some owners have had tie rods replaced under warranty more than once, only to find that they were still experiencing some clunking from the front end. This seems to have been an issue dating back to earlier 2 Series cars of various model designations. A service bulletin was put out on it. A recall was carried out on a select number of cars built between November '24 and February '25 to sort out a brake expansion tank problem. Standard brake pads and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres won't last all that long on a track - you'd probably be better off with a CS if that's your pleasure - but overall reviewers were happy to divvy up G87 M2 test stars like confetti, our unverified guess for the average score across the piece being four and a half to five out of five for the car.
BODY
Although the G87 M2's wheelbase was 11cm shorter than the M4's and its overall length nearly 21.5cm less, it was considerably wider in both track widths and overall body width than the basic 2 Series. That and the visual impact of the bodywork meant there was little chance of mixing an M2 up with a poverty model, or actually even the sportier ones.
There was more chance of mixing the M2 up with something other than a BMW, if you were coming at it from the front. The M2's frameless, horizontally-barred grille had never looked less kidney-like. A traditional grille would doubtless have looked weird above the relentlessly rectangular lower intake and the squared-off corner vents, but there was no getting away from the fact that the front view took some getting used to. Still, there was no denying the styling intent or purpose of that part of the car or of its heavily flared arches, rear diffuser insert and quad-tailpipe exhaust.
Only a handful of paint colours were offered to start with, including two model-exclusive hues, Zandvoort Blue solid and Toronto Red metallic. Buyers could tick a box for the 6kg lighter M Carbon roof. Some owners have noticed wind noise from the trim piece between the roof and the main body which in one case at least was traced to poor fitment and positioning of that trim piece.
Quite a few owners of G-generation 2 Series cars have had trouble with headlight condensation. One US dealer told the owner that it was his fault and quoted him $4,000 to replace one unit but once it became obvious that it was a common issue most owners managed to get theirs replaced FOC under warranty. Unfortunately for some, the problem has persisted even with the new lights in place. Keyless entry has been a bit glitchy on some cars, sometimes as a result of a loose antenna connector in the boot.
INTERIOR
Although G87s can have the odd squeak and rattle, the M2's cabin was a lovely place to be with textured dash and door materials that were both pleasing to behold and suggestive of long wear. The standard sports seats were upholstered in a mix of Sensatec and Alcantara. M Carbon bucket seats with cutouts in the side bolsters and head restraints chopped nearly 11kg out of the car's weight. M Sport options with integrated head restraints and perforated Vernasca leather and Sensatec were a popular midpoint choice, providing good, low-slung support. Throwing £730 at your BMW dealer would get you the Comfort Pack whose key component, for UK owners at least, was the heated seats.
Although there was plenty of space in the front compartment the M2 wouldn't be your first choice if you needed to take more people than yourself and one other adult anywhere on a regular basis. Getting into the back wasn't easy and the room wasn't abundant once you were in there, but as compensation the boot space of 390 litres was the same as a Yaris Cross's and slightly more than a Golf or Focus, in other words not at all bad and perfectly acceptable for normal shopping duties.
The G87 sported the latest OS8 version of iDrive with touch and voice interactivity and integration for both CarPlay and Android Auto with a 5G antenna. Some found the 14.9-inch infotainment screen to be excessively wide, the icons less than easy to handle and the HVAC controls redundantly over-stepped. On the plus side, you did have a physical knob to twirl.
Some connectivity problems have been reported, mostly with CarPlay and Waze. Holding the on/off/volume button down for 30 seconds to reset the IDrive sometimes resolved these issues but not always in a one-time-and-it's-fixed kind of way. General electrical issues have been mentioned on internet searches but these don't seem to stand up to closer investigation. Tyre pressure monitoring modules can crap out, but that seems to apply to just about any car with a TPMS.
PH VERDICT
The G87 M2 had big shoes to fill, and at first sight it didn't look promising. The front end styling was Marmite, and as regards the dynamics you could certainly understand a degree of wariness from anyone whose only previous experience of M cars of this size had been the occasionally spiteful 1M.
As it turned out though the worries were unfounded. Like the 1M, every G87 M2 drive was an event to be anticipated and savoured. Unlike the 1M there was no negative impact on your feeling of safety and security behind the wheel. The G87 was a sweet evolution of the F87 M2 and a vindication of BMW's very welcome decision to keep on building cars like this. How many other manufacturers are making compact, petrol-powered, non-hybrid, 450hp RWD coupés? Not many, is the answer.
How long that state of affairs might last is another matter. Assuming that the G87's replacement might not be so pure - if your definition of purity is an unadulterated internal combustion engine - you should maybe be considering one of these. Not right now, necessarily, but with one eye on this M2 bowing out in the latter half of 2029, If you get your timing right you could end up with an appreciating asset.
For those who can't wait, what's in the PH classifieds goody bag right now? Well, there's no shortage of choice with about three dozen on PH at any given moment. The most affordable one was this '23 manual in red with 6,600 miles and a price tag of a pound under £48k.
Another £500 or so gets you PH's cheapest auto M2, this 14,000-miler at £48,490, though there's no information on the ad other than the fact that the seller thinks it only has six gears. Mind you, quite a few M2 advertisers call them 'DCT' cars.
This black auto at just over £52k shows how colour-sensitive these cars can be. The photography isn't helping it but the lines and details of this one just seem to be swallowed up by the blackness. For a refreshed 480hp car you're looking at £55k plus, but that sort of money is just as likely to get you a '25 example as a '24 one, like for example this 2,800-mile auto at £55,450.
. Don’t see many on the roads though but I saw a Brooklyn Grey one only yesterday and it looked fabulous, at least to me. Back to the classifieds now while Mrs S is out 
The dash is awful and the ride height agricultural but I do like them.
Trouble is you can get a lot of Porsche for similar money.
I don't think it's quite as elegant as the F87 which was just vulgar enough but this will still probably be the logical successor to mine in a couple of years at around £40k.
The only thing that concerns me slightly is how exposed to stone strikes the rads seem to be.
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