BMW started deliveries of the second-generation M2 in April 2023, but only a little over a year later, the G87 gets a Life Cycle Impulse. I know what you’re probably thinking – How can this be an LCI when the car looks the same? Sure, there are some new colors and wheels, but the sports coupe carries over the body panels. Standard black exhaust tips and dark badges with a silver contour don’t add up to a full-blown LCI do they?
BMWBLOG caught up with M boss Frank van Meel this weekend at Le Mans. During our chat, we were surprised to learn BMW sees the 2025 M2 as an actual LCI instead of just a simple model year change. In the company’s defense, there are some mechanical changes underneath the familiar skin. The “S58″ engine has been upgraded to unlock 20 horsepower, now at 473 hp. In addition, cars equipped with the automatic gearbox gain 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) of torque, rising to 600 Nm (443 lb-ft). We imagine those who have already bought a G87 can’t be happy with the early power boost.
The tweaks continue inside where BMW upgrades its infotainment system to iDrive 8.5. In addition, it also swaps out the old steering wheel in favor of a fresh design with a flat-bottomed rim. The wheel also gets a red mark at the 12 o’clock position. You can have the steering wheel in leather or in Alcantara, with both designs offering optional heating.
Elsewhere, the M Sport seats wrapped in Vernasca leather now come with a red/black theme. Going forward, the M Carbon bucket seats can be ordered as an individual option as well. The lower section of the 14.9-inch touchscreen now incorporates updated digital controls for the climate functions, including the heated steering wheel.
Are these miscellaneous changes enough to qualify the 2025 BMW M2 as a real LCI? You’ll be the judge of that. Whatever the case may be, there’s finally more variety in terms of customization. The extra power coming from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six doesn’t hurt either. LCI or not, we’re just happy the manual gearbox is sticking around.
The 2025 BMW M2 lays the foundation for the limited-run CS special edition, which is expected to debut next year. It should easily cross the 500-hp mark and gain a CSL-esque ducktail spoiler. Logic tells us it’s going to be sold strictly with an automatic transmission but the normal M2 should keep all three pedals.