[slicer]

I spotted this camouflaged M2 yesterday in Santa Barbara. Any guesses as to what it is?

[SW19]

Did you take a look at the interior?

[Tag]

Well, that's interesting that they have a G87 that still has most of its camo. It even still has covers on the bumpers to hide their shape. None of this is compelling enough to point to a M2C. The only thing that caught my attention are the 826M wheels which are currently not offered on the M2. That said, we saw a bunch of test mules with these wheels prior to the reveal, so that's also nothing new.

[zero21]

Originally Posted by Tag

Well, that's interesting that they have a G87 that still has most of its camo. It even still has covers on the bumpers to hide their shape. None of this is compelling enough to point to a M2C. The only thing that caught my attention are the 826M wheels which are currently not offered on the M2. That said, we saw a bunch of test mules with these wheels prior to the reveal, so that's also nothing new.

This panel is dramatically different. You can also tell from other shots that something is going on here...

[Tag]

Originally Posted by zero21

This panel is dramatically different. You can also tell from other shots that something is going on here...

Looks the same time with exception to the plastic cover over the bumper that I previously mentioned. We saw the same camo for months and months while the M2 was testing at Nürburgring before the reveal.

[zero21]

Originally Posted by Tag

Looks the same time with exception to the plastic cover over the bumper that I previously mentioned. We saw the same camo for months and months while the M2 was testing at Nürburgring before the reveal.

Yeah I'm with you there but man that quarter panel looks funky. I think there's something new to the "diffuser" as well.

[Tag]

Originally Posted by zero21

Yeah I'm with you there but man that quarter panel looks funky. I think there's something new to the "diffuser" as well.

The body panel camo are molded sheets of thin plastic, roughly 1/4" thick that sit over panels, bumpers, etc. and are double sided taped and riveted on. The whole car is then wrapped in the zebra camo wrap which blends everything together and is meant to trick your eye.

[Game]

Interesting. Don't see why it'd be a typical G87...

Gotta say I don't miss looking at camo pics and I do love the 826m's on there as well.

[slicer]

Originally Posted by SW19

Did you take a look at the interior?

No, There were BMW employees nearby so I was discretely creeping.

[zero21]

Originally Posted by Tag

The body panel camo are molded sheets of thin plastic, roughly 1/4" thick that sit over panels, bumpers, etc. and are double sided taped and riveted on. The whole car is then wrapped in the zebra camo wrap which blends everything together and is meant to trick your eye.

I understand. But I don't see any other "camo cars" with this cladding. Leading me to believe it is something different, since it is. Right?

[Tag]

Originally Posted by zero21

I understand. But I don't see any other "camo cars" with this cladding. Leading me to believe it is something different, since it is. Right?

...

Originally Posted by Tag

Looks the same time with exception to the plastic cover over the bumper that I previously mentioned. We saw the same camo for months and months while the M2 was testing at Nürburgring before the reveal.

[Game]

Ya there was plenty of cladding a year ago. Same camo.

[cayenne444]

Hate to burst your bubble, but taking camo off a test vehicle is a massive multi-day headache of a job (especially for engineers that already have an actual full time job), and for a test car that is going to get crushed eventually (or needs to be in one piece to continue doing testing), it's far easier to just leave it on until it's time runs out.

Not only that, but that hard camo you point out isn't delicately placed over a pristine M2, it's drilled into the body of a prototype by some lunkheads at the factory, so if you remove it, there's not going to be a perfect car underneath.

Long story short, there's no rule that the camo must come off as soon as the world gets to see pictures of the car. Especially when what is underneath isn't pretty. It's just an M2.

[T_U_D]

Originally Posted by cayenne444

Hate to burst your bubble, but taking camo off a test vehicle is a massive multi-day headache of a job (especially for engineers that already have an actual full time job), and for a test car that is going to get crushed eventually (or needs to be in one piece to continue doing testing), it's far easier to just leave it on until it's time runs out.

Not only that, but that hard camo you point out isn't delicately placed over a pristine M2, it's drilled into the body of a prototype by some lunkheads at the factory, so if you remove it, there's not going to be a perfect car underneath.

Long story short, there's no rule that the camo must come off as soon as the world gets to see pictures of the car. Especially when what is underneath isn't pretty. It's just an M2.

Well said.

[aerobod]

Coming from an engineering background, I can imagine the development team keeping the cars around for various test-mule tasks and probably as the lunch-run vehicle, too, until the cars have to be crushed. Possibly also having some fun with sowing confusion with those taking photos in public and, for added effect while parked, throwing a coat or blanket over interior components to make it look like there is something to hide from view

[moodyhank82]

Crazy speculation on my part but the 826M wheels plus the auto combo (notice the radar sensor in the first picture) could mean an early M2C prototype possibly with xDrive

[Game]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoFdC..._web_copy_link

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Tag

The body panel camo are molded sheets of thin plastic, roughly 1/4" thick that sit over panels, bumpers, etc. and are double sided taped and riveted on. The whole car is then wrapped in the zebra camo wrap which blends everything together and is meant to trick your eye.

Originally Posted by cayenne444

Hate to burst your bubble, but taking camo off a test vehicle is a massive multi-day headache of a job (especially for engineers that already have an actual full time job), and for a test car that is going to get crushed eventually (or needs to be in one piece to continue doing testing), it's far easier to just leave it on until it's time runs out.
Not only that, but that hard camo you point out isn't delicately placed over a pristine M2, it's drilled into the body of a prototype by some lunkheads at the factory, so if you remove it, there's not going to be a perfect car underneath.
Long story short, there's no rule that the camo must come off as soon as the world gets to see pictures of the car. Especially when what is underneath isn't pretty. It's just an M2.

See for example here (March 2021 post):

Originally Posted by Artemis

Don't be fooled by the camouflage: front end and rear end are hidden under large sturdy plastic add-on camo parts. The G87 M2 does not feature a nose that bulky.

And the small add-on parts on both sides near the C-pillar / fuel cap: BMW is hiding whether the car still features a Hofmeister kink (very likely affirmative) and whether a BMW logo will be added, as happened on the X2 (possible, because AFAIK no F87 test mule ever featured camo at that spot).

Brief, we are required to use our imagination, trying to "think away" those fake add-on parts.

From 07:16 onwards:

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by zero21

This panel is dramatically different. You can also tell from other shots that something is going on here...

Look closely. IMHO, at first glance, it is the base G87 M2.

[Tag]

Even if there was an M2C in the wild I highly doubt it would get any new exterior design elements. The M3/4C look exactly the same as the M3/4 base.

And before anyone points out the F87 M2C had an entirely revised front bumper vs the OG, that was for a technical reason. The OG had the N55 and being the M2C was getting the S55 it needed more airflow for all the additional cooling the S55 had. BMW said so themselves when asked about this. There may be tweaks to the design in the future of the G87, but not anytime soon nor is that a guarantee.