Choosing between the BMW M2 and M2 Competition might not be as easy as you might imagine. Sure, the M2 Comp is newer, faster, more high-tech and has a proper M Division engine but the standard M2, which is no longer on sale, has some charms of its own that might make it more desirable. In this new video from Seen Through Glass, we get to see which car is actually the better buy — a brand-new BMW M2 Competition or a used, regular M2.
Being that it’s a few years old now, the BMW M2 is a great performance car value. It can be had for over $10,000 less than a brand-new M2 Competition and still offers a ton of performance and fun. However, the M2 Comp is newer, faster and comes with better cabin tech. It also has proper M seats and a proper M engine. The former make a big difference but the latter is only for bragging rights, really.
What’s interesting is that the standard M2 actually sounds better. The N55 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 in the standard BMW M2 has always been a fan-favorite, due to its feel and sound. It’s only knock was that it’s not a proper M Division engine. Its replacement for the BMW M2 Competition, the S55 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged I6, is the same engine from the outgoing F80 BMW M3 and, while more powerful, it doesn’t sound as good and doesn’t feel as fun.
That can be said about the entire M2 Comp, though. It’s technically more effective in every single way; it’s faster, sharper, more dynamic, more comfortable and more high-tech. However, the standard M2 actually seems more playful, more raucous and more like a proper M car. Surprisingly, the seem to feel like very different cars and it’s the older one that feels more old-school. Go figure.
At the end of the video, though, we get an answer on which car is better to buy. And the answer might take you by surprise. Check it out.
