M Town may be fictional, but the new BMW M2 is very real. The second generation of Bavaria’s sports coupe attended the Petrolhead Days in Belgium at the Circuit Zolder where attendees got up close and personal with a Brooklyn Grey example of the G87. Fitted with the optional carbon fiber roof and a manual gearbox, we’d argue it’s among the most desirable specs offered for the compact performance model. You’ll also notice the classic Motorsport emblems to remind us the M division extensively celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.
With the new model, the M2 is no longer built in Leipzig, Germany as BMW assembles the vehicle in Mexico where the lesser 2 Series versions also come to life. Series production recently started and the global launch is scheduled for April 2023. Although Individual colors won’t be available at first, they’re likely to arrive further down the line. It would represent a premiere for an M2 since the previous-generation F87 didn’t come with fancy paints.
With the show car it displayed in Essen at the beginning of the month, BMW demonstrated a 2023 M2 can look substantially different than this restrained specification. Brimming with M Performance Parts, the coupe had an extremely aggressive look with center-mounted quad exhaust tips, a big rear wing, and loads of carbon fiber add-ons. This build keeps the car relatively subtle, and in the G87’s case, we’d say less is indeed more.
Oddly enough, BMW has decided to make that stick shift a €500 option at home in Germany whereas the M2 sold in the United States has three pedals as standard. The US-spec car doesn’t cost more money with the eight-speed automatic transmission since it’s offered as a no-cost option. You won’t be finding ceramic brakes in the configurator – regardless of country – because the car comes exclusively with compound brakes. The beefier track-focused brakes might arrive with a potential M2 CS / CSL, but it’s too soon to know.
As a refresher, the G87 is technically the last series production M car with a pure gasoline engine. Going forward, all inline-six and V8 models carrying the “world’s most powerful letter” will be electrified to some extent.
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