To M2 or not to M2

[tucker90]

This thread over at Bimmerpost has some of the best shots of the G87 M2 I've seen to date. These were taken very recently in AZ.

https://g42.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2000498

I still think the looks are pretty divisive, but have to admit it's growing on me quite a lot. Especially in Brooklyn Grey. I have a feeling these cars will look much better in person (assuming you can stomach them at all in pictures as well).

Like others have mentioned, one of my biggest concerns with this car is weight. I test drove the G42 M240i on one of my favorite canyon roads and it felt like a fat lazy pig. Super capable and comfortable car, but incredibly boring for what I'd want to use it for.

Yeah, I wasn't sure on the Supras looks either until I saw one in person and was amazed at how much better it looks than in pictures. Even now I see some Supra pics and think it looks kinda funny but I know how great they are in person so I dismiss those thoughts. So I will reserve judgement on the G87 until I see one in person. Even in pictures I don't think it looks terrible, just doesn't look like a M car, but I am sure people said the same thing about the F series when they came out. The kidney grill is so iconic in BMW styling that it's weird to see new cars with a different design.

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[stormgreysupra]

That face is uglier than the Z's...c'mon Dukec/Casas , what's going on in the design department?

I love the design to be honest.

 

[ShakaDaKine]

I love the design to be honest.

To each his own...looks to me like instead of using the golden section/ratio, he just thought the simple use of the rectangle itself was good enough and called it a day, lol...makes it look muscular, que no?

 

[stormgreysupra]

To each his own...looks to me like instead of using the golden section/ratio, he just thought the simple use of the rectangle itself was good enough and called it a day, lol...makes it look muscular, que no?

yeah the rectangular design makes it look very aggressive. Also I love how wide it is.

 

[PikkaGTR]

yeah the rectangular design makes it look very aggressive. Also I love how wide it is.

G87 is 74.3 wide
J29 is 73.4 wide
Difference is wheel base with the G87
10.9 inches longer than the J29 (108.1 vs. 97.2)

The shorter the car , the wider it will look
The butt on the F80 is amazing, and the stance was insanely wide
I don't get the same vibe with the G87

 

[stormgreysupra]

G87 is 74.3 wide
J29 is 73.4 wide
Difference is wheel base with the G87
10.9 inches longer than the J29 (108.1 vs. 97.2)

The shorter the car , the wider it will look
The butt on the F80 is amazing, and the stance was insanely wide
I don't get the same vibe with the G87

exactly it’s what I was gonna say. A short and wide car is what I prefer. That’s why I love how the GR Yaris looks.

 

[RenRed2]

The real question is:

Do you want to explain to folks why you bought a fugly car?

The G87 looks like an F87 M2 that came out of the mold deformed.

Also, the S58 sounds horrendous.

Lastly, iDrive 8 is

Explain to who? People who have no fkn input on what someone spends on their desired ride. I like what I buy lol. I dont buy it for anyone but me. The less you care about what others think of your ride the better life is.
Some people like a car some dont. Certainly not news in 2023 eh?

 

[Diablo]

The side profile is the only angle I can stomach this vehicle, tbh.

 

[razorlab]

exactly it’s what I was gonna say. A short and wide car is what I prefer. That’s why I love how the GR Yaris looks.

Funny thing is, the Supra has a shorter wheel base than the GR Yaris, by 3.6".

 

[Sharocks]

For all those who have driven or used to own an F87 M2/M2C, do you have any comparisons to make between them and the Mk5 Supra? Debating on whether it's worth it to find a manual mk5 or stick to a manual M2.

I worked for BMW when they were developing the M2. I actually got to drive a pre production example at Spartanburg and give feedback on the car.

The M2 is:

Better setup for track use out of the box (brakes, suspension, sways etc.)
Interior layout is better in general because it's not a Z4 that's naturally going to be cramped as a 2 seater car from the get go
Practical and easy to get in and out of (roof line is very good)
Almost the same dimensions as an E46 M3 (check the sig, I have 2 of them)
Better visibility all around

Where the M2 lacks:

Seats suck, they don't line up with the wheel at all (I brought this up in 2014 in Spartanburg)
The N55 was lackluster but adequate, the S55 was what it needed from the start but the S55 also sounds horrendous
The manual is mediocre at it's absolute best
Can't turn off auto rev match unless everything else is off
It's not as light as it looks or should be, it's got at least 100-150 lbs on a Supra
Not comfortable at all even stock
Lots of plastic in the interior that will eventually creak

I chose the manual Supra over an M2 because the Supra looks better IMHO, sounds better for sure, has more support in the aftermarket world, and drives more like a dual purpose car aka GT car rather than a track hooligan.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[razorlab]

It's not as light as it looks or should be, it's got at least 100-150 lbs on a Supra

Try 400lbs.

All the RWD M 2/3/4 cars weigh about the same now.
G87 M2 = 3,814 lbs
G80 M3 = 3,840 lbs
G82 M4 = 3,830 lbs

M240i RWD = 3,748 lbs
M240i AWD = 3,871 lbs

M340i RWD = 3,849 lbs
M340i AWD = 3,951lbs

 

[stormgreysupra]

Funny thing is, the Supra has a shorter wheel base than the GR Yaris, by 3.6".

yes the but the total length of the car is much smaller.

 

[alan7467]

Try 400lbs.

All the RWD M 2/3 cars weigh about the same now.
G87 M2 = 3,814 lbs
G80 M3 = 3,840 lbs
G82 M4 = 3,830 lbs

M240i RWD = 3,748 lbs
M240i AWD = 3,871 lbs

M340i RWD = 3,849 lbs
M340i AWD = 3,951lbs

I think Sharocks was making comparisons to the F87. The OG model is closer to 3,400lbs with the M2C clocking in around 3,560 if I'm not mistaken.

But yeah, the G87 is a porker.

 

[alan7467]

Where the M2 lacks:

Lots of plastic in the interior that will eventually creak

Years ago I drove a brand new M2C and the interior felt nice and tight. By contrast I sat in a used 2020 with close to 50k miles on it a couple weeks ago. Holy hell. Everything I touched creaked and moved around. Felt like a shit box IMO

Still love those cars though.



Having never owned a BMW I'd be curious to hear how the Supras interior is holding up over time. I recently drove a 2021 with 8k miles on it and everything still felt very solid.

 

[razorlab]

I think Sharocks was making comparisons to the F87. The OG model is closer to 3,400lbs with the M2C clocking in around 3,560 if I'm not mistaken.

But yeah, the G87 is a porker.

Ah yes, you are right, he quoted a post that had the F series mentioned. oops!

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