The BMW 1 Series M became a cult hero when it debuted in 2011. Only 2,700 units initially planned – final number was 6300 – and they all sold rather quickly. BMW had no issue with 1Ms sitting on dealer lots. Because of their rarity and desirability, along with the overall story behind the 1M, they have actually risen in value since they left showroom floors. When the 1 Series M first debuted, it cost around $46,000. The average price of a second-hand 1M today, with good mileage, is around $60,000. That’s an average increase of about $14,000 in value. That’s remarkable and must give any 1M owner the right to throw that in their wife’s face, “See, honey, the sports car wasn’t a bad idea.”
The 1 Series M made its owner very happy with its increase in value. But will the same thing happen for the BMW M2?
Also being made in limited numbers, thought far more will be made than the 1 Series M, the BMW M2 is the successor to the 1M. It has all of the same ingredients that made fans so woozy over the 1M. The M2 is small, fast and fun and is reminiscent of the old-school BMW M car. It’s also going to be rare and it’s the first car of its name, so no doubt that enthusiasts and collectors will want it. There’s also no doubt that it will sell out quickly, so it won’t be available for long, which will increase its desirability.
Enthusiasts who can’t get their hands on one brand new will have to shop the second-hand market and will likely pay top-dollar for one. The same thing happened with the 1M. Usually a car’s value plummets the moment it drives off of the lot, but the 1M’s limited units were in such high demand, immediately, that people were paying full price, or even more, for a used model. A similar thing could happen to the BMW M2 as well. However, how long will its luster last? Will it last as long as the 1M’s and will it ever appreciate as much as the 1M?
The answer for both questions is likely, no. While the BMW M2 should be one of the most exciting BMW’s in a very long time, it doesn’t have the allure that the 1M did. The BMW 1 Series M kind of came out of nowhere and wasn’t something BMW did often. It was also, seemingly, built out of scraps. It had a BMW Z4 engine, it’s brakes, differential and subframes were from the BMW M3 and they were all stuffed into a more aggressive version of BMW’s smallest body. So it was kind of like that meal you make out of leftovers that accidentally ends up being fantastic.
The BMW M2 doesn’t have that kind of character. The M2 is purpose built and designed to be a hotter version of the beloved M235i. The M2 will trump the 1M in terms of performance, speed and everyday usability. But it likely won’t have that “IT” factor that made the 1M so special.
The BMW M2 is likely to appreciate a bit in value, due to its rarity and whatnot, but it most likely won’t have the same stratospheric rise as the transcendent 1 Series M. While that might upset BMW M2 owners in the future, it should make 1M owners smile as they watch their car appreciate even further. The BMW M2 will be a special car, but likely not as special as the 1M.
