When the G87-era BMW M2 debuted back in 2022, it received a fair bit of criticism for its styling. Nobody complained about the performance, with more than a few folks proclaiming it the best M car currently available from the engineers in Munich. We’re among that demographic, and a new Nürburgring video from Sport Auto shows why we like it so much.
The M2’s time of 7:38.23 set by German publication Sport Auto’s Christian Gebhardt is just a touch slower than BMW’s 7:33.90 lap established last year. Both times are for the shorter 12.8-mile stretch of track, but the latter time confirms the M2 is a serious performer. Watching Gebhardt guide the Bimmer through the endless corners, we’d venture to say he’s actually a bit conservative at times. It’s understandable—nobody wants to be the one who bins someone else’s car at the most famous road course in the world.
That being said, in this case “conservative” still means 136 mph approaching the infamous crest on Quiddelbacher Hohe, the first notable straight on the Nordschleife. Gebhardt doesn’t get airborne, but the car certainly gets close. He rolls back on the throttle and reaches 161 mph while cresting the follow-up straight, negotiating the high-speed Schwedenkreuz left-hander like a pro.
Aside from just a couple of sharp turns, Gebhardt never dips below 60 mph during his run, maxing out at 174 mph down the main straight. Presumably, that means this M2 is equipped with the M Driver’s Package that nixes the 155-mph speed limiter. Without it, BMW says the M2’s top speed is 177 mph, a number Gebhardt nearly achieves during this lap.
The G87 M2 is already on par with the M3 at the ‘Ring. It’s quicker than an Audi RS3, and it’s nearly as quick as the M4 Competition. We know BMW is working on a new M2 CS that could debut this year, which begs the question. How much faster will it be when it eventually takes to the track for an official lap? We likely won’t have to wait long to find out.