At no point in Top Gear’s custody of a baby-blue BMW M2 did we once think, “Hmm, bit underpowered—could use another 20-odd horses and more torque.” BMW has clearly thought about it more than once, because it’s given it exactly that.
So, the not-so-baby BMW M car has been given an inflation-linked power and torque bump. Where the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six once delivered 454hp—loads for a small-ish, rear-drive coupe—it now develops 474hp.
The M-experts among you will spot that this follows the refreshed M3 and M4 (which use the same engine) being bumped from 503hp to 523hp. So, the nostril twins stay just ahead of the ‘baby’ M car. And the marketing department can rest easy at night.
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There’s more torque on offer, too—but only if you opt for the eight-speed automatic (which, whisper it, we actually preferred). So the self-shifter gets 600Nm of torque, while the six-speed manual gearbox—still an option—only comes with 550Nm. Either figure is sufficient.
Not least because the refreshed M2 will now sprint from 0-100kph in 4sec (for the auto; 4.2sec for the manual) and 0-200kmph in 12.9sec (13.7sec for the manual). Context? The former is 0.1sec faster, the latter over half a second. That’s serious pace...that nobody asked for.
Anyway, as per the rules, max speed is still capped at 250kph, and can still be uncapped to 285kph. There’s the same M-specific exhaust note, and the same M-specific bodywork that still isn’t as clean as the old M2. Bruiser, this thing.
Speaking of which, you can spec a new color called Twilight Purple, so it looks like a 1,725kg bruise, and if you’re immediately thinking ‘Daytona Violet E36 M3,’ we salute you. Other colors are available, too: red, yellow, grey, green, and some blue.
Inside, there’s a new steering wheel that’s flat in bottom, M Carbon buckets as an option, BMW’s upgraded Operating System 8.5, and all the other goodies you get bundled in with a powerful, rear-wheel-drive not-so-baby BMW M car.
Not-so-baby price, either: In the UK, it’ll kick off from £63,360 (P4.7 million before shipping and taxes.
More photos of the BMW M2 2025:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
