BMW M2 Competition (F87)
Why 7.8: The S55 from the M3/M4 in the smallest, lightest M car body. 404 hp, six-speed manual available, and a power level that lets skilled drivers use all of it before traffic becomes a problem. Used values have found a floor that reflects genuine demand.
Layout
Natural habitat
Ride comfort
Sound
The S55 is rortier than the S58 that replaced it, and the short, lightly insulated M2 shell lets more of the real straight-six through. But it is still twin-turbocharged and still augmented in the cabin, which keeps it well below the naturally aspirated M cars.
6-cylinder · turbocharged · 7,600 rpm redline · rated 6.2 / 10 for engine sound
Market value
Median asking price, good condition · €52k (2018) → €52k (2026), trending down · illustrative data
Child seats · ISOFIX
Two rear seats (no middle, 4-seat coupe layout), both ISOFIX-equipped — confirmed via OEM-fitment ISOFIX anchor-cover parts sold specifically for F87.
No front-passenger ISOFIX — F-series falls outside the E9x generation that had the optional bracket.
OEM ISOFIX anchor-cover parts listed for BMW F87 fitment (owner-forum/parts-catalog cross-reference) (owner-community sourced, not manufacturer documentation)
The long version
BMW replaced the M2’s base engine with the full-fat S55 from the M3 and M4, and the result was the best M car of its generation by a margin enthusiast press rarely saw fit to understate. The F87 Competition with the manual gearbox is already being treated as a future classic by owners who refuse to sell, which is the cleanest possible data point: when manual M cars stop appearing in listings, the market is telling you something. Track attendance is high, annual mileage is high, and the resale market shows a car that has found its floor and is starting to drift back up. This is what a Smiles per Dollar car looks like when the dollar catches up with the smiles.