We’re just a few days away from the much-anticipated world premiere of the BMW M2 as the wrapper is due out Tuesday, October 11th. The digital premiere will be followed by a public debut next weekend in South Carolina at the BMW Performance Center. The compact sport coupe will join the locally made XM, the first custom M car in Bavaria since the M1 in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The two models are at opposite poles in the broad M range.
While the previous-generation M2 was assembled in-house in Leipzig, Germany, its replacement will be closer to where the XM is assembled. BMW has decided to move production of the smallest M cars to Mexico at the San Luis Potosi Plant. If you want to be the first to see the M2 (codenamed G87), it will be on display on Saturday, October 15, during the M Anniversary Celebration event to mark 50 years of the performance division.
BMW charges $35 for tickets to the afternoon festival, but you can also splurge $135 to join a driving event scheduled from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The latter consists of a two-hour session with the latest M products on the track while receiving guidance from a Performance Center professional driver. Throughout the day, attendees will be able to marvel at the rare street and racing cars that span a five-decade heritage. You can even order to drive a gun in a classic race car and the proceeds will go to the BMW CCA Foundation.
The M2 will be the last M series production car with a petrol only engine as all subsequent models will feature some sort of electrification. The Baby M will inherit the inline-six engine from the M3/M4 but downgraded to just over 450 horsepower. BMW has confirmed a six-speed manual will be offered alongside the automatic, with both gearboxes directing the 3.0-liter twin-turbo output to the rear wheels.
