Why the F87 M2 is the best M Car (A Love Letter)

It isn’t the most powerful. It isn't the most expensive. In a world of 600bhp+ super-saloons, it certainly isn’t the fastest.

Yet, the BMW F87 M2 remains the favourite. For many of us at AUTOID, it’s the benchmark. For Jack personally, it’s the reason this company exists. When exploring the world of M cars you might look to the F80 M3 as the prettiest, or the more affordable F82 M4 here in the UK, but the M2 is different.

The M2 is for you. It’s the brute. The short-wheelbase, our example with a manual-gearbox rebel that reminds us why we fell in love with driving in the first place.

The Car That Started It All

In 2015, BMW made a mistake. They announced the M2 but left off the iconic M-style wing mirror caps. That oversight was our opportunity. We designed our own, launched them, and the rest is history.

From fitting those very first caps on Joe Achilles’ car in 2016 to celebrating our 10-year anniversary last year, the F87 has been the backbone of our journey.

The Recipe: Why It Works

What makes the F87 (and specifically the OG M2) so special? It’s the communication.

• The Chassis: It’s the shortest wheelbase of the F-series M cars, making it incredibly alert. It doesn’t do "lazy."
• The Gearbox: BMW has signaled the end of the manual. In the M2, that 6-speed DIY box makes 400bhp feel like 600. It’s tactile, engaging, and increasingly rare.
• The Sound: While the S55 in the Competition is a powerhouse, there’s a purist charm to the N55’s howl that just hits different.
  

Our "OEM+" Blueprint

We’ve built extreme cars, but for the F87 M2, we went with a refined OEM Plus approach. It’s about enhancing what BMW started without losing the car’s soul.

Feature	The Mods
Aesthetics	TRE Carbon Winglet Front Splitter FORM Carbon Flat Side Skirts FORM Carbon Rear Diffuser FORM Carbon Rear Spoiler FORM CS Style Aluminium Bonnet MMX Engine Bay Dress up Kit
Stance	MMX Height Adjustable Spring Kit Ferric Grey/ Polished 437M Wheels
Performance	Stage 1 Tune Milltek Cat-back Exhaust System
Interior	M2 Competition Bucket Seats E90 Gear Shifter

Watch the video:

In this video, Jack explains why the BMW F87 M2 Manual (OG M2) is still the best M car he’s ever owned. Faster cars have come and gone, but nothing matches the balance, raw feel, sound and simplicity of the F87.

What do other BMW owners think?

Head on over to our Reddit r/bmw post to see what the community had to say when we put our F87 up against the F80 and F82.

Which one you taking?
by u/AUTO_IDentity in BMW

The Verdict

If you are on the fence about buying an F87 M2: Do it. Prices are stabilising, the aftermarket support (from us and others) is better than it has ever been, and they quite literally don't make them like this anymore. It’s a car that wants to be played with at all times.

Ready to start your F87 journey? Whether you're looking for that signature styling, stance or performance mod, we've spent a decade perfecting this platform.