BMW M2 G87 vs BMW M3 G80
“Same S58 twin-turbo straight-six, two different missions: the M2 is the compact, sharper, far cheaper one; the M3 is the more powerful, more practical, far pricier one.
The G87 M2 is the value-and-sharpness play — the shortest-wheelbase S58 car, reviewers' pick as the sharpest M2 yet, and the most usable everyday footprint, from around $63k. It gives up outright power and a proper back seat.
The G80 M3 brings the muscle and the practicality — up to 543 hp in the hottest CS, genuine four-door usability, and agility that belies its near-two-tonne mass — for roughly $110k.
Both still offer a manual. The decision is size, doors and budget more than pace: the tight cheap coupe, or the fast usable sedan.
you want the sharpest, most affordable way into the S58 — a compact coupe that's the easiest to live with day to day — and you don't need four doors or the top-tier power.
you want power and practicality together — 500-plus hp and a genuine back seat in a car that drives far smaller than it is — and the ~$110k doesn't faze you.
Buy the G87 M2 if budget and sharpness lead — it's roughly half the price, the tossable end of the S58 family, and the more usable size. Buy the G80 M3 if you need the doors and the muscle — more power, a real back seat, and agility that belies its mass — and you'll pay nearly double for it.
Reviewers barely separate them on handling or fun — both rate equally sharp and engaging, the M2 a touch more tossable, the M3 uncanny for its size. The real divide is mission: the M2 takes daily usability-for-size and value; the M3 takes outright power and four-door practicality. Choose the body and budget, not the stopwatch.
Performance
“It's a tick slower to 60 than the M3 and M4.”
Handling
“It just feels incredibly agile and you completely forget you've got an entire estate body style behind you.”
“The steering is incredibly sharp. The front end bites into corners with confidence, and the xDrive system gives you unbelievable grip coming out of the bends.”
Fun to drive
“I feel like it's a little bit notchier than the rest. Say the M3 and M4 for example... This is my favorite shifter, I believe, out of all of those.”
“I prefer the manual driving experience in this over the M3, which felt a little bit underpowered”
“The fact that it is the standard M3's manual in all of its kind of elastic feeling, just lack of engagement is a bit of a bummer”
Daily drivability
“the manual M2 I found to be really difficult to drive smoothly in any drive mode outside of efficient. The automatic, no issues there.”
“the M3, the four door sedan, is going to have the clear advantage here... having those two extra doors can be very helpful if you have a family”
“The M3 is by far the most practical choice and doesn't sacrifice any performance to the M4.”
Value
“If you're going to spend most of your time on road though and you don't visit the track, then I think the good thing is that it's not compromised, but it's certainly not worth an extra £36,000.”
“nearly $100,000 for an M3 is absolutely stupid money it just kind of shows how just how expensive cars like this have become”
