Article Summary
- The M2 Racing costs €98,000 and serves as BMW M Motorsport's new entry-level model.
- It will compete in the BMW M2 Cup this season during five races, the last of which will take place at Hockenheim in October.
- Power comes from a racing version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged B48 engine working with a ZF seven-speed automatic transmission.
It’s been over a year since BMW M Motorsport unveiled the M2 Racing as its new entry-level track machine. It picks up where the old F87-generation M2 CS Racing left off but takes a different approach to lowering running costs. By far the most significant change is the switch to a downsized four-cylinder engine.
As we’ve explained before, BMW chose the B48 to reduce operating costs and allow for a lower front section, improving handling. At the same time, the 2.0-liter engine makes the car eligible for a wider range of racing series than the larger 3.0-liter unit found in the road-going M2. BMW already covers the upper tiers of customer racing with the M4 GT4 and M4 GT3.
BMW is now happy to announce that the M2 Racing is about to make its competitive debut. BMW has detailed the calendar for the new one-make cup, which will serve as a DTM support series. The season begins this coming weekend at Lausitzring before moving to Norisring in early July. The championship then heads to the Nürburgring in mid-August and the Sachsenring in September, before concluding its inaugural season at Hockenheim in early October.
BMW M2 Racing Drivers Benefit From Extended Support
Drivers competing in the BMW M2 Cup will receive extensive support both on and off the track. The ADAC’s “Road to DTM” program helps the champion take the next step into the ADAC GT4 series, while BMW M Motorsport provides additional backing through coaching sessions with factory drivers, media training, and M4 GT4 EVO test drives for the top three finishers.
Those same drivers will also be considered for the 2027 edition of the BMW M Racing Academy, the company’s customer-racing development program. BMW has set aside a total prize fund of €170,000 for the one-make series, which is aimed at young drivers aged 15 and older, with no upper age limit.
The M2 Racing starts at €98,000 and even includes air conditioning. However, the options list remains extensive, featuring items such as an adjustable exhaust flap, an air-jack system, a data logger, and even a passenger seat. While BMW now sells an M2 with xDrive, the race car sends its 308 horsepower exclusively to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission developed by ZF. The B48-powered machine weighs 1,498 kilograms (3,302 pounds), making it 232 kg (512 lbs) lighter than a standard rear-wheel-drive M2 equipped with the S58 engine.
BMW M2 Cup 2026 Race Calendar:
19th-21st June: Lausitzring (GER)
3rd-5th July: Norisring (GER)
14th-16th August: Nürburgring (GER)
11th-13th September: Sachsenring (GER)
9th-11th October: Hockenheim (GER)
