BMW’s New M2 Race Car Only Has Four Cylinders

BMW has a new, entry-level race car called the M2 Racing. It starts at €98,000 ($111,421 at today’s exchange rate), which gets you a fully kitted car ready for the track. Except it lacks one thing the road-going M2 has—an inline-six engine. Instead, the new M2 race car packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder.

The engine, sourced from the 2 Series Gan Coupe, makes 313 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. BMW says the M2 Racing can reach speeds of over 168 miles per hour, and the only gearbox available is the ZF’s seven-speed automatic with BMW M Motorsport software.

The car has a mechanical differential lock with separate cooling, BMW M compound brakes, non-adjustable KW shock absorbers, and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. It features LED headlights, a front splitter, a rear fog light, and a lightweight roof. BMW finishes the exterior with U300 Alpine White III.

Inside, the car has a DMSB-certified welded safety cage that’s compliant with the latest FIA regulations. It also has a Sabelt GT-AM safety seat and a fire extinguisher. The car even has air conditioning, and it comes with the stuff you’d expect a race car to have, like BMW M Motorsport-specific drive modes and an adjustable pit speed limiter.

Additional options include a rear wing, a weight ballast box, a data logger, Endless endurance brake pads, a Sabelt GT-Pro driver seat, an air jack system, a muffler with an adjustable exhaust flap, a start number light, a passenger seat package, a car cover, and M Motorsport decals.

“The car is affordable while offering racing teams and drivers uncompromising performance, durability, and pure driving pleasure,” said BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel. BMW calls out the car’s lower operating costs due to how closely related it is to the production car as a positive.

Development for the car began in November 2023, testing a powertrain development car, a car dynamics development car, and an endurance test car, the latter of which completed 18,4641 miles. The M2 Racing will hit the track starting in 2026. Sales begin in June.