New version of BMW’s petite powerhouse coupe will pump 353kW.

UPDATES to the BMW M model most like the M3 used to be - when it was a reasonably compact rear-drive coupe, rather than an all-wheel-drive sedan - that unveiled in Germany five weeks ago are hot-shoeing to New Zealand.

BMW NZ announced today the updated car will be here from October onward, from $146,500. That’s $30,600 more than is being asked for the M240i xDrive, the only other version of the 2-Series Coupe coming here. It lands at the same time as the M2.

BMW here says the 2025 variant whose headline appeal is a power bump that elevates output from its twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline-six to 353kW, 15kW more than the pre-facelift model, and takes torque from 550Nm to 600Nm. For purpose of comparison, the M240i, also with the same core mechanicals, has 285kW/500Nm.

The updated M2’s lift is only when it has the eight-speed automatic transmission. The lower figure applies to the manual gearbox, a no-cost option.

BMW also claims that the updated M2 is more responsive thanks to changes to throttle mapping.

The automatic can sprint from 0-100kmh in a claimed 4.0 seconds, an improvement of one-tenth compared to the pre-update model. The manual acquits the sprint in 4.2s.

Regardless of the transmission fitted, the more powerful M2 is 0.6s quicker to reach 200kmh from a standing start, BMW says.

The update steers clear of change to the look, which bases off the standard 2 Series Coupe, whose revisions were revealed several weeks ago, and adds some serious beefcake into the mix. The M2's box arches and squared-off lines add a level of brutalism that will turn heads wherever you go, arguably even more so than the current BMW M3 or M4. The car's front end will split opinion but from the rear the M2 offers squat lines and a purposeful stance.

The M2 is now available with a choice of nine colours, including new finishes such as Sao Paulo Yellow, Fire Red metallic, Portimao Blue metallic and the Skyscraper Grey metallic seen here.

BMW Individual paint finishes including Java Green, Voodoo Blue, Grigio Telesto and Twilight Purple will feature in the catalogue, taking the total number of colours on offer from five to 14.

Buyers can also opt to swap out the standard black alloy wheels for silver rims, giving it a less aggressive look.

Changes also extend to the interior of the M2, which presents with a new flat-bottom steering wheel and BMW’s latest Operating System 8.5, aligning it with other models. Buyers keen to fully exploit the car’s obvious track-ready potential can order in M Carbon bucket seats, for $10,000.