The M2 is one of BMW’s most popular trademarks. But the car is surprisingly new to the brand’s portfolio. Before the car’s release in 2015, we only had a brief glimpse of what a sports coupe smaller than the M3 could be – thanks to the short-lived and now-deprecatable 1M in 2011. Luckily, BMW saw the potential and quickly released something a little more accessible. But the oldest M2 models are now reaching ten years old – usually when M cars start to feel the brunt of their depreciation. Thankfully, the first-generation M2 appears to depreciate somewhere between the value of a traditional BMW and that of the 1M. This means the time to buy may come sooner than you think.
Prices for the used BMW M2 F87 in 2025
If you’re looking for a real performance bargain, the early model years of the F87 M2 are your best bet. According to Classic.com, average prices for a 2016-2018 BMW M2 are currently around $36,800. This figure is consistent with sold listings on sites like Bring a Trailer and Cars & Bids. This means that the early F87 M2 – cars with an N55 engine under the hood – are priced at the same level as a new Subaru BRZ. Compared to the new G87 M2, this represents a saving of $25,000. It also undercuts perhaps the most realistic comparison, the Porsche 981 Cayman. Classic quotes an average price of $65,894, although this is likely skewed somewhat for GT4 models.
Of course, you can easily pay more for an F87 M2. S55-powered competition models – which drive significantly differently than the N55 models – are almost exclusively at the upper end of the cost spectrum. But it’s also a byproduct of competition cars being a few model years newer. The oldest Competition models, model year 2019, are in the mid-$40,000 range, although almost all are high-mileage DCT models. Those that are not usually have accidentals or a branded title (or both). Classic.com’s average price for a Competition model is $48,754. We expect this value to decrease over the next few years to reflect the development that non-competitive models have seen.
You could also spend less or more
Sorry for the ambiguity, but we’ll clarify. It’s easy to spend a lot more or a lot less on an F87 M2. It all depends on what you are looking for. Let’s start with the good news: There are nearly two dozen M2s listed on Autotrader today for less than $35,000. While some of these cars probably need a bit of grease to get them perfect, the N55 engine is fairly easy to work on and, most importantly, there are plenty of replacement parts available. After all, the N55 has found its way under the hood of vehicles as pedestrian as the X5.
It’s also easy to spend well over $50,000. As expected, the M2 CS sits at the top of the range and appears to have largely inherited the 1M’s reputation for “loss-proof”. Thanks to extremely limited production and a high starting MSRP, these cars will likely always be worth significantly more than even the Competition models on which they are based. Special models like the M2 Performance Edition also seem to have held their value a little better. But that could be because the mileage and overall condition are usually a little better.
Why the original M2 is worth it
The obvious value buy here is the N55-powered M2. Although it has slightly less power compared to the other M2 models and loses the 1M’s excellent steering feel, the original F87 offers the same important virtues as those cars. To clarify: rear-wheel drive, a six-speed manual transmission if you want it, and a wonderful turbocharged inline-six. With 365 hp you are a little behind compared to contemporary M cars. But the old M2 is also significantly lighter than contemporary M cars, weighing around 3,450 pounds. That’s around 350 pounds less than the brand’s current “lightweight,” the G87 M2, which weighs around 3,800 pounds.
Ultimately, I think it’s a good time to buy a used M2, but it might be another year or two before prices really bottom out. Probably more if you’re determined to buy an M2 Competition at the lower end of the depreciation curve. Of course, values are tied to economics in some way, and with our crystal ball running out of juice, there’s still a bit of unknown that we can’t explain. But that hardly matters – we don’t think there’s a better modern collector’s car you can buy for around $40,000.
Sources: Classic.com, Autotrader, Bring a Trailer
