BMW is closing out the year with a wave of nostalgia. Following the 325iS and 333i Homage Editions for South Africa, the U.S. now gets its own throwback: the 2026 BMW M2 Turbo Design Edition. Built in extremely limited numbers, it revives the spirit of the iconic 2002 turbo with hand-painted M stripes and a manual gearbox.
You can have it in any color as long as it’s Alpine White. The retro vibe is immediately obvious, starting with the hand-painted M stripes wrapping around the hood and trunk lid. To drive the point home, BMW M also applies its iconic blue, purple, and red colors to the carbon fiber roof. The hood bulge comes in black with a mirrored “turbo” graphic, harking back to Europe’s first turbocharged production car.
The 1970s theme continues at the rear with a “turbo” badge below the M2 logo. Inside, a similar plaque, this time with M colors, adorns the lid covering the cup holders. As a finishing touch, BMW dresses up the side sills with a “turbo” script in the same retro font.
Beyond the 2002 connection, this is a well-equipped 2026 M2. The carbon roof mentioned earlier is standard, as is the Lighting Package with adaptive full-LED headlights and automatic high beams. BMW also includes a carbon rear spoiler, a heated Alcantara steering wheel, carbon fiber trim, and wireless charging.
A regular M2 with these options would cost around $75,000, but the 2002 turbo-inspired details push the price to $84,075, including destination and handling fees. Add the optional $2,500 M Driver’s Package, $4,500 carbon bucket seats, and $6,266 Matte Gold Bronze wheels, and you’re looking at $97,341. The sticker puts it uncomfortably close to the $99,775 M2 CS.
Much like its source of inspiration, the Turbo Design Edition comes exclusively with a manual gearbox. It has six gears instead of the four or five fitted to the 1,672 examples of the original 2002 turbo. The US-only M2 is based on the regular model with 473 hp rather than the automatic-only CS’s 523 hp. For perspective, that’s still about 2.8 times more than what the 2002 turbo offered roughly half a century ago.
Production begins in the first quarter of 2026, with deliveries to follow early in the next quarter.
Standard equipment.
- Alpine White paint with hand-painted 2002 turbo-inspired graphics
- M Carbon fiber roof panel with integrated M striping
- M Performance carbon fiber rear spoiler
- 6-speed manual transmission
- M Shadowline Lights
- Lighting Package
- Adaptive Full LED Lights
- Automatic High-Beams
- Carbon fiber interior trim
- Heated M Alcantara steering wheel
- Wireless device charging
- Live Cockpit Professional with Head-Up Display
- M Sport Seats in Black Vernasca Leather with M Color Highlight
- 19-in / 20-in M Dual-spoke wheels Style 930M in Black
Optional equipment.
- 19-in / 20-in M Performance wheels Style 1000M in Matte Gold Bronze – $6,266
- M Carbon bucket seats in Black Vernasca Leather with M Color Highlight – $4,500
- M Driver’s Package – $2,500
