2024 Dark Horse Mustang vs 2023 BMW M2 - Car and Driver Comparison Review

[Mustang406]

I don't get why the M2 is mentioned as a competitor to the Mustang so many times.
Have you ever seen one or parked your own Mustang right next to an M2?
The latter looks like a toy car compared to the Stang.
Take a seat in it and you feel like in a Mini or Fiat 500.
And last but not least, THE thing that makes the Stang so special for a still somewhat affordable coupe or vert is that it's a large car with an V8 engine.
M2 doesn't check one of these basic boxes.

First time I have seen someone mention the size of the S650 as a positive. Ford priced the DH in the range of M2-M3-M4 and C8. Of course people will compare them now.

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[Dragster]

I don't get why the M2 is mentioned as a competitor to the Mustang so many times.
Have you ever seen one or parked your own Mustang right next to an M2?
The latter looks like a toy car compared to the Stang.
Take a seat in it and you feel like in a Mini or Fiat 500.
And last but not least, THE thing that makes the Stang so special for a still somewhat affordable coupe or vert is that it's a large car with an V8 engine.
M2 doesn't check one of these basic boxes.

They're both "4 seat" performance-oriented coupes in a similar price range, so a lot of people will cross-shop them. I do agree that the V8 is what makes the Mustang special, but for people that don't care about the sound or don't care if an engine is NA or FI, the M2 is a compelling choice.

 

[Dave2013M3]

As someone who just came out of an S550 Mustang and made the move to a G87 M2, I do miss the sound of the Mustang. Although the sound of the S58 with the exhaust mod (Opens the exhaust flaps all the way) and a Dinan midpipe, it does somewhat scratch the itch. My previous ride before the Mustang was a 2013 BMW E92 M3 with its glorious 4.0 screaming S65 V8 engine. As others have pointed out, the S650 Mustang even in non DH trim are approaching the price of a new M2.

The new M2 even in a manual is a super quick car, offers excellent handling and an excellent build quality for only a few thousand more of what my 24 S650 would have cost. There are quite a few former S550 Mustang as well as a few former DH owners on bimmerpost with new M2s. One other thing the M2 weighs about 100lbs lighter than a PP equipped Mustang with more power to the wheels. I forgot how silky smooth BMW inline 6s are. The M2 has a wider track, longer wheel base yet it's almost 9" shorter than a Mustang.

 

[Polo08816]

https://g87.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?p=31660261#post31660261

Looks like the pricing for the G87 M2 is coming down in 2025. Some forum members have reported almost getting 10% off MSRP. This should make it harder and harder to justify a DH at MSRP.

 

[Mustang1987]

https://g87.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?p=31660261#post31660261

Looks like the pricing for the G87 M2 is coming down in 2025. Some forum members have reported almost getting 10% off MSRP. This should make it harder and harder to justify a DH at MSRP.

Here's an idea... Go post in the bmw forums.

 

[Mustang406]

https://g87.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?p=31660261#post31660261

Looks like the pricing for the G87 M2 is coming down in 2025. Some forum members have reported almost getting 10% off MSRP. This should make it harder and harder to justify a DH at MSRP.

Especially with GT and DH going up several thousand for the 2025 models.

 

[Dave2013M3]

Here's an idea... Go post in the bmw forums.

Please notice the name of the thread.

 

[Mustang1987]

Please notice the name of the thread.

Please notice that every post he makes is negative. Every single post. He doesn't own one, he's just on here bad mouthing it every post.

He doesn't own one and he doesn't want to own a s650/darkhorse.

 

[Dave2013M3]

Please notice that every post he makes is negative. Every single post. He doesn't own one, he's just on here bad mouthing it every post.

He doesn't own one and he doesn't want to own a s650/darkhorse.

I owned an S550 and love Mustangs. I defend Mustangs on the bimmerforums. I switched out to the G87 M2 and I am very happy with it. Price did have a lot of say on what I chose, even though I also owned a plethora of BMW products to include 2 E46 M3s, and 2 E92 M3s. The Mustang was normally $10-15K cheaper than the comparable BMW product. That isn't the case anymore and I feel this is why we are getting the comparisons. I had an S650 on order along with the G87 M2 and it was really almost 50/50 on what I would go for. When I got the finance numbers (I lease) between the Mustang and the M2 the M2 penciled out better.

I don't regret my decision at all on going with the M2 it really is an incredible car. I understand some people may not like the way they look, I dig the quirkiness of the car and actually find it quite good looking. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Performance wise the M2 is a bargain. This thing rips!!!

 

[Polo08816]

Here's an idea... Go post in the bmw forums.

Please notice that every post he makes is negative. Every single post. He doesn't own one, he's just on here bad mouthing it every post.

He doesn't own one and he doesn't want to own a s650/darkhorse.

I owned an S550 and love Mustangs. I defend Mustangs on the bimmerforums. I switched out to the G87 M2 and I am very happy with it. Price did have a lot of say on what I chose, even though I also owned a plethora of BMW products to include 2 E46 M3s, and 2 E92 M3s. The Mustang was normally $10-15K cheaper than the comparable BMW product. That isn't the case anymore and I feel this is why we are getting the comparisons. I had an S650 on order along with the G87 M2 and it was really almost 50/50 on what I would go for. When I got the finance numbers (I lease) between the Mustang and the M2 the M2 penciled out better.

I don't regret my decision at all on going with the M2 it really is an incredible car. I understand some people may not like the way they look, I dig the quirkiness of the car and actually find it quite good looking. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Performance wise the M2 is a bargain. This thing rips!!!

I'm not bad-mouthing the DH by talking about it's pricing relative to the competition.

If Ford undercut the M2's pricing with their DH by pricing it into the $50k-55k range and produced 100k/units per year like they did in 2015, they'd have a hands down winner. I wouldn't even consider the G87 M2 as a replacement track car because of the catastrophic repair costs of the S58 motor compared to the parts cost on a DH.

If Chevy still made the Camaro (particularly the SS 1LE), that would be my pick for a track car. The chassis in that vehicle is so good and the maintenance/repair costs are reasonable. I do think the G87 M2 chassis is better, but not at the prices it would take to rectify a catastrophic powertrain failure. The ergonomics of the Mustang are so much better than the Camaro, but as a pure track car with costs in mind, the Camaro SS 1LE would be hard to beat.

 

[Mustang406]

I'm not bad-mouthing the DH by talking about it's pricing relative to the competition.

If Ford undercut the M2's pricing with their DH by pricing it into the $50k-55k range and produced 100k/units per year like they did in 2025, they'd have a hands down winner. I wouldn't even consider the G87 M2 as a replacement track car because of the catastrophic repair costs of the S58 motor compared to the parts cost on a DH.

If Chevy still made the Camaro (particularly the SS 1LE), that would be my pick for a track car. The chassis in that vehicle is so good and the maintenance/repair costs are reasonable. I do think the G87 M2 chassis is better, but not at the prices it would take to rectify a catastrophic powertrain failure. The ergonomics of the Mustang are so much better than the Camaro, but as a pure track car with costs in mind, the Camaro SS 1LE would be hard to beat.

Ford chose to price the DH in range of C8s, M3/4, and by comparison made the M2 look like a bargain lol. Without those price increases we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[Mustang1987]

I'm not bad-mouthing the DH by talking about it's pricing relative to the competition.

If Ford undercut the M2's pricing with their DH by pricing it into the $50k-55k range and produced 100k/units per year like they did in 2015, they'd have a hands down winner. I wouldn't even consider the G87 M2 as a replacement track car because of the catastrophic repair costs of the S58 motor compared to the parts cost on a DH.

If Chevy still made the Camaro (particularly the SS 1LE), that would be my pick for a track car. The chassis in that vehicle is so good and the maintenance/repair costs are reasonable. I do think the G87 M2 chassis is better, but not at the prices it would take to rectify a catastrophic powertrain failure. The ergonomics of the Mustang are so much better than the Camaro, but as a pure track car with costs in mind, the Camaro SS 1LE would be hard to beat.

I read through all your posts and you haven't said one good thing about the s650. That's like me just spending time on a bmw forum bad mouthing it when I'm not even interested in getting one. Why would I be on a bmw forum? "If they took $30k off their m models I might be interested"

 

[Mustang1987]

Ford chose to price the DH in range of C8s, M3/4, and by comparison made the M2 look like a bargain lol. Without those price increases we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Okay, so if you like the c8, then post on c8 forums. That's why c8 forums exist. This is a forum for the s650 and owners and people that want to buy s650s. Its pathetic.

 

[Polo08816]

Ford chose to price the DH in range of C8s, M3/4, and by comparison made the M2 look like a bargain lol. Without those price increases we wouldn't be having this conversation.

I read through all your posts and you haven't said one good thing about the s650. That's like me just spending time on a bmw forum bad mouthing it when I'm not even interested in getting one. Why would I be on a bmw forum? "If they took $30k off their m models I might be interested"

Okay, so if you like the c8, then post on c8 forums. That's why c8 forums exist. This is a forum for the s650 and owners and people that want to buy s650s. Its pathetic.

If you don't like what people are saying on the forums and it doesn't violate the Terms of Service, you're welcome to use the "Ignore" function.

 

[Mustang1987]

If you don't like what people are saying on the forums and it doesn't violate the Terms of Service, you're welcome to use the "Ignore" function.

If you want/have a bmw and not a s650, why aren't you posting on a bmw forum? It's so strange.

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