[Axylus]

Please help me choose between the 2023 M2 vs 2023 M3.

Please let me know what your personal thoughts are and/or why you would choose one over another. I have test-driven the 2023 M2, so I believe I have a baseline for performance, feel, etc. I previously was in conflict between a 2023 M2 vs 2024 M440i, but I hashed that out through a test drive with M2 being the winner purely for its feel and performance. I have not test-driven the 2023 M3.

I am currently in the waitline for the 2023 M2. My question is rooted in wanting more performance (if applicable) and a nicer exterior, though I will be only city driving.

Is the 2024 M3 going to be released soon or is there no speculation on this?
In terms of performance, is the difference significant? If so, then what aspects? Will I need to test-drive the M3 to understand the performance difference?
In terms of looks, what stands out to you between the cars?
In terms of utility, I think M3 is the clear winner here.

Do y'all think getting a 2023 M3 over a 2023 M2 is worth the price differential of $13k-$14k? Both will be fully packaged. I know this is a completely subjective questions, but hopefully the objective questions above may substantiate this answer.

[forcefed]

Do you want manual or auto?
Rwd or awd?
4 doors with useful rear seats?

M3 has more interior options and adaptive cruise control, comes in handy in city driving.
Performance is similar if you're comparing the m2 to the rwd m3, xdrive on the other hand is much faster with its launches and easier to handle once you start adding power.

[Axylus]

Originally Posted by forcefed

Do you want manual or auto?
Rwd or awd?
4 doors with useful rear seats?

M3 has more interior options and adaptive cruise control, comes in handy in city driving.

Preferably auto.
I’m indifferent to RWD/AWD and 4 doors. I know this answer is probably not helpful.

[forcefed]

Originally Posted by Axylus

Preferably auto.
I’m indifferent to RWD/AWD and 4 doors. I know this answer is probably not helpful.

If you want auto then honestly with the amount of power in these motors you want xdrive, no power is wasted and you can still switch to rwd if you want to smoke the rear tires.
Now if you'd want manual then the m2 is a bargain, but its missing some creature comforts of the m3.

[CanesM4]

These guys seemed a little underwhelmed with the M2

[gnx]

Consider the g83.

['Cane]

Originally Posted by Axylus

Is the 2024 M3 going to be released soon or is there no speculation on this?
In terms of performance, is the difference significant? If so, then what aspects? Will I need to test-drive the M3 to understand the performance difference?
In terms of looks, what stands out to you between the cars?
In terms of utility, I think M3 is the clear winner here.

No difference between 23 and 24 for M3 (except possibly price). LCI will be MY25 and it’s too early to tell.

[FC4]

The M2 has half the number of doors than the M3, but 2 is more than half of 3. Therefore the M2 is a better value.

[moonluv810]

Sorry, don’t mean this to be harsh, but this purchase is going to cost you anywhere between $70K-$95K. That’s a big chunk of dough. You need to figure out your priorities and your goals. It seems that you don’t have these well defined yet (or at least communicated on your OP).

None of us can define those priorities. We can help providing inputs based on what you have as your priorities.

M2 and M3 share a lot of similarities in powertrain and drivetrain. Differences are in wheelbase and driving feel, interior space and quality, exterior styling, and obviously pricing.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Don't see these two cars as actual competitors. Even a M2 vs M4 would be a big stretch despite both being 2 door coupes.

[vj123]

I had a F87 on order and ended up ordering a G80 due to space and practicality. Most of us, bought a G80 without TDing one.

At the end its going to a personal choice and i dont see any of your preferences or criteria in your initial post. The recommendation is going to be biased as you are asking this question in a G8x forum.

[HiFi]

unpopular opinion - G80 6MT - best of both worlds - all the creature comforts you missing in the M2 and almost identical weight of M2.

[Tuscan]

Performance wise you will be happy with both cars. The looks are subjective so our comment will be meaningless. You need to decide for yourself. 4 door cars are always more usable but if you don't have kids you will be fine with a 2 door car and it will be a good excuse not to get more people in it.

[GrannyShiftG80]

4 doors more whores

[Jcab]

As someone who just ordered an Xdrive M3. I would say go with the M3 if money isn’t an issue. I was thinking about getting a manual and I had the same issue. I didn’t know if I wanted an m3 or m2. But in my opinion the interior alone of the m3 is what got me. I didn’t just want standard black seats. I wanted the orange or red with the extended leather. Overall I think the M3 is nicer.

[omaralt]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

Don't see these two cars as actual competitors. Even a M2 vs M4 would be a big stretch despite both being 2 door coupes.

disagree.. the gap between the m2 and m4 has been narrowed considerably..

to the OP; if you're going auto transmission i would get the M3comp xdrive.

if you're going manual get the M3

/thread

[ChrisM4]

You need to finalize your requirements. Personally I would go M3 over M2 all day but my needs might be different than yours. (I owned a previous gen M2, a manual G82 M4 and now a G80 manual M3)

I’ve seen and sat in the new M2 in person and the M3 is a different class of car from my perspective.

[MisterGoober]

This is the G80/G82 forum so responses may be biased.

I haven't driven the G87 M2, but did have an F87 M2 Competition and a G80 6MT. I'm going to go against some of the responses here and say to go for the M2 if you don't need AWD or 4 doors. The M2 was surprisingly practical with usable back seats and a trunk.

The G80 is slightly more luxurious with the leather options, but honestly, the interior is mostly the same across iDrive versions. Same screens, similar dash. The difference being in the quality of leather and choice of interior colors. Even then you have to take the leather package on the M3.

IMO you're looking at a $25-30k price difference for not much of a difference in performance. At the end of the day these are sports cars, not luxury cars.

Owning both the M2 and the M3, the M3 was more luxurious with Merino leather in Silverstone (my build) and a premium $1800 or whatever color (Tanzanite). The M2 was at least as much fun and $20k+ cheaper.

If you need 4 doors get the M3. If you want to lay down as much power as possible and are going Automatic, get the M3/M4 xDrive. If you want to do have fun and can live with 2 doors, get the M2.

IMO for $65k all in, the M2 is a performance bargain. Having a luxury interior is nice, it doesn't make the car drive any better:
S58 - Check!
MT - Check!
Adaptive Suspension - Check!

[DO444]

If it were me, I’d either go cheap on the m2, like straight base model, or go for the m3cx.

I would not want to pay m3 money for an m2, and you will be if you are adding all the stuff that makes the m2 fun to be in. I’d rather have a base m3 than m2, and I’d rather have a base m3 than pay the amount of money necessary to get a loaded m2.

Neither of these cars are going to be THE car to have for pure driving enjoyment, imo. Not saying they aren’t fun and cool, but if you are 100% sure you want a BMW M car then I don’t really see the attraction to the m2 at the prices they are currently selling.

But, that’s just my opinion.
To each their own.

If you get an m2, I think you want it to be far away price wise from the m3/4 in order to feel good about that purchase. If you are within $10k of an Xdrive m3/4 - just get that instead imo.

[Ilyam5]

M2 is a weird package. It is supposed to be smaller lighter and more fun, but current generation muddled all of it.

It is as heavy as M4, barely smaller (couple of inches wheelbase), and has less power tuned engine thus limiting the fun factor.


- M2 has grown in size and weight vs previous gen, But for such a big car they made rear seats unusable and impossible to seat in without hitting your head for 5"9 and above. (last gen m2 had great back seat). M4 back seat is luxurious vs M2)

- Ride in the M4 is more comfortable for long distance, again you can travel with 4 people no problem
- Bigger trunk in M4 to take more luggage for those 4 people.
- More luxurious interior makes it better place to be in M4

- Back to the power - manual M2 is the lowest s598tune of all, after driving M4CX is really noticeable, even compared to base M4 the power difference is there.
- Price is 10K more for M4. Since M2 has to have carbon roof and couple of other goodies to compete one for one with base m4. But i would gladly pay it.

- Availability of other options like AWD on m4 make it even more appealing - though price keeps moving up.

[mcsquared]

I suggest driving an M3 and comparing it to your views of the M2. Aside from that, everything else mentioned seems about right.

[BryanCO]

Not a fan of the new M2 (for the reasons noted above) so easy call. Consider F87 M2C’s and things may be different.