BMW M2 G87: manual versus automatic comparable selection

By BidBud · Research checked November 12, 2026

A transmission preference helps you decide which M2 you want. It does not, by itself, tell you what that car should cost. A useful G87 comparison begins with the same model year, version and delivery market, then separates transmission, equipment, condition and modifications. Comparing the highest manual result with the lowest automatic result would mainly measure your choice of examples.

This guide provides a way to select evidence for a US-market buying decision. It does not estimate a manual premium or an automatic discount.

Match the year before comparing the gearbox

BMW's original US G87 announcement specified a six-speed manual and an available eight-speed M Steptronic automatic. Its launch specification was 453 horsepower. The G87 automatic should not be labelled with the F87's DCT terminology.

The 2025 US update increased output to 473 horsepower. BMW listed 406 lb-ft for the manual and 443 lb-ft for the automatic, and described the automatic as a no-cost option. These are manufacturer specifications for that model year, not evidence that the two versions achieve the same used price. Conversely, a difference in published performance is not a measured resale premium.

Keep standard M2, CS and any other drivetrain variant explicitly identified. Do not turn a search for “G87 automatic” into a pool of every version carrying that chassis label. If your preferred configuration has few completed transactions, show that limitation instead of filling the gap with a different model.

One automatic listing shows why specification matters

The 2024 M2 in BaT lot 203707 described an eight-speed automatic, 2,400 miles, a carbon roof and extensive modifications. Those included engine and transmission software, intake and exhaust work, coilovers, wheels and exterior bodywork. The listing reported a USD $83,000 sale on August 5, 2025.

That record can be useful when researching a similarly modified car. It would be a weak stand-in for a standard automatic simply because the gearbox matches. The reported amount includes the appeal and uncertainties of the whole vehicle, the auction date and the particular transaction. It cannot isolate what the transmission contributed. The result is platform-reported, not an independently audited settlement.

The correct response to an unusually configured example is to retain its details and decide where it belongs. Discarding the modifications from your notes while retaining the price creates false comparability.

Build a comparison record in a fixed order

Use one row per auction event, with a link back to the original source. Record these fields before adding a price:

1. Model year, US delivery specification and exact version.
2. Factory transmission, supported by the listing and vehicle-specific records.
3. Mileage and unit, together with the date of the reading.
4. Major factory equipment, especially features that change the car you would actually choose.
5. Current modifications, removed parts included and any uncertain software history.
6. Condition, disclosed damage and maintenance or inspection evidence.
7. Auction date, currency, outcome and whether the amount excludes buyer fees.
8. Your reason for including or excluding the car.

Use three working groups: close matches, context only and excluded. A close match should survive a plain-language explanation of why it resembles the target. A context-only result may show an available alternative while remaining unsuitable for a direct price comparison. An excluded record should retain its exclusion reason so it does not accidentally reappear in a later average.

Test the comparison without inventing an adjustment

Imagine two hypothetical cars from the same model year. One is a standard manual with 8,000 miles; the other is an automatic with 2,000 miles, a carbon roof, aftermarket suspension and a software tune. A difference in their reported sale prices would not identify a gearbox effect. Several variables changed at once.

First look for closer matches within each transmission group. If those do not exist, write down the missing evidence. You can still decide that one car better suits your use, but that is a personal choice rather than a market estimate. Avoid assigning a fixed dollar adjustment to mileage, options or modifications simply to make two unlike results converge.

For a prospective purchase, ask an independent inspector to evaluate the actual drivetrain and modifications. This article supplies no universal wear limits, remote diagnosis or assumption that one transmission has had an easier life. Records and current condition should inform any repair allowance.

Keep preference and market evidence separate

Finish with two short statements: “I prefer this configuration because ___” and “The closest completed-sale evidence is ___, with these limitations ___.” The first explains your choice; the second explains the evidence supporting your bid limit. Neither needs an invented percentage premium.

For the older generation, our F87 manual-versus-DCT guide addresses a different transmission pairing. Keep those records separate from this G87 worksheet.