BMW just made the M2 a little bit better for 2025 but the “old” G87 was good enough to secure a coveted title from MotorTrend. Beating six other finalists, the second-generation compact sports car from Bavaria is the magazine’s 2024 Performance Vehicle of the Year. Who did it manage to beat? Quite a few big names: Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Acura Integra Type S, Ferrari 296 GTB, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and the 911 Dakar.
The full list of contenders also initially included the XM but the plug-in hybrid mastodont didn’t make the cut. As to why the M2 won the award, MT claims the rear-wheel-drive coupe represents “everything enthusiasts say they want.” By taking all that’s great from the bigger M3 and M4 and cramming it into the more compact M2, BMW’s engineers created an excellent recipe for a thrilling drive.
The journalists claim it’s equally fun to drive on a race track and on public roads while offering the practicality of rear seats. At regular speeds, it’s comfortable and quiet, plus it provides the convenience you’d expect from a luxury, high-tech car.
MT notes the G87 is quicker than the F87 M2 CS and the base G82 M4 regardless of transmission choice. With the six-speed manual, it hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. With the eight-speed automatic, the job was done in just 3.5 seconds. The smallest M car is also a good value compared to a Mustang Dark Horse or a Corvette Z51, not to mention a Porsche 718 Cayman GTS.
The M2 is the third car to secure MT’s Performance Vehicle of the Year award. It follows the 911 GT3 in 2022 and the Corvette Z06 in 2023. BMW is still tweaking the G87 formula since a spicy CS will be out next year. Come 2026, we might finally see a first-ever M2 xDrive. In the meantime, the 2025 M2 gets an extra 20 hp, now at 473 hp. With the automatic transmission, torque rises by 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) to 600 Nm (443 lb-ft).
Source: MotorTrend
