2017 BMW M2 update spy pics

It only seems like last year when we were driving the brand new BMW M2 … hang on, it was. Well, it seems the update is already in the pipeline for 2017.

Some current BMW M2 owners might not be long running their car in after the model’s initial long waiting list, though the good news is that the changes are expected to be minor.

There’s no mistaking the wide, squat stance and quad exhaust system of the flagship BMW 2 Series spotted by our spy photographer.

The biggest piece of camouflage is reserved for the front bumper. It points to a potentially more aggressive-looking nose with wider kidney grille and larger intakes for increased engine and brake cooling.

Hexagonal LED projector headlights first seen on the new-generation BMW 5 Series are also noteworthy.

The rear end of the prototype spotted on German roads features slightly revised internal LED lighting as part of the model’s update – or LCI (life cycle impulse) in BMW-speak. A strip of camouflage in the middle of the diffuser suggests a tweak here.

Bigger brakes – if the M2 really needs them – and a revised exhaust system could also form part of the upgraded package, though we’re not expecting any major changes to the N55 turbocharged six-cylinder up front.

That’s fine by us, as there’s no shortage of performance from the 272kW/465Nm unit that currently propels the $99,500 M2 from 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds in dual-clutch-auto guise. Or 4.5 seconds if you opt for the $90,500 manual-only Pure.

BMW’s entire 2 Series range will get the LCI treatment, anticipated for the second half of 2017.