What does it take to beat the BMW M2 around the Nürburgring? The answer is simple: another M2. About a year ago, the M2 CS lapped the Green Hell in 7 minutes and 25.5 seconds, becoming the fastest production car in the compact segment. Still not content after dethroning the Audi RS3 from the top of the leaderboard, M returned to the Nordschleife on May 22 for another attempt.

This time, BMW brought an M2 equipped with the new M Performance Track Kit. Against all odds, the coupe shaved half a second off last year’s hot lap. The M2 with the optional package was clocked at 7 minutes and 20 seconds. Could it have gone even faster? Probably. BMW cites “demanding conditions,” including high ambient and asphalt temperatures. As if that wasn’t bad enough, there were traces of oil in the T13 section of the legendary German circuit.

Half a second might not sound all that impressive given the Nürburgring’s 20.8-kilometer (12.9-mile) length. However, it’s important to note that BMW improved the lap time without fiddling with the M2’s engine. It’s the same tried-and-true S58 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six. In fact, the run was completed with the regular M2 rather than the more powerful and lighter M2 CS that set last year’s benchmark.

BMW M2 With The M Performance Track Kit: How Much Does It Cost, And What Does It Include?

The M Performance Track Kit goes on sale this month in Germany for €23,500 before taxes and installation costs. What do you get? Aside from the carbon-fiber swan-neck rear wing lifted from the M4 race cars, the package also includes a front splitter. Both are manually adjustable and can be fully deployed only on the race track. For road use, these aerodynamic elements must remain in their standard position.

Beyond aerodynamic upgrades refined in the wind tunnel, BMW also bundles a coilover suspension with four-way adjustable rebound and compression damping. An M2 equipped with the M Performance Track Kit also gains a ride height lowered by up to 20 mm at both axles. Adjustable support bearings and aero flicks round off the list of upgrades.

It would be interesting to see whether BMW returns to the Nürburgring with an M2 CS fitted with the M Performance Track Kit. The Competition Sport’s power advantage and diet should provide an edge on such a demanding circuit. As for the newly launched M2 xDrive, we wouldn’t count on it being any quicker than its rear-wheel-drive counterpart.

We likely haven’t heard the last of the G87 generation. The current M2 is expected to remain in production until the end of the decade, giving BMW M plenty of time to further refine the formula. An M2 CSL remains a distinct possibility.