Ohlins Road & Track Coilover Review: 2016-2021 BMW M2

The BMW M2 (F87) is one of the last great analog M cars, but its factory suspension is a compromise built for warranty comfort, not apex speed. Fitting an Ohlins Road & Track coilover to a 2016-2021 BMW M2 transforms the chassis: it kills body roll, sharpens turn-in, and lets you set the exact ride height and damping you want. In this review we break down the Ohlins Road & Track DFV kit for the F87 M2, how it compares to spring-only options, what it takes to install, and the alignment hardware that unlocks its full potential. Everything here is in stock and ships from our shop in Tampa, FL.

Why the BMW M2 (F87) Needs a Coilover Upgrade

The F87 M2 punches above its weight. The 2016-2018 base M2 runs the N55 3.0L single-turbo inline-six making 365 hp and 343 lb-ft (369 lb-ft on overboost); the 2019-2021 M2 Competition steps up to the S55 twin-turbo with 405 hp and 406 lb-ft; and the 2020-2021 M2 CS pushes the S55 to 444 hp. Curb weight sits around 3,450 lbs, and 0-60 mph ranges from roughly 4.2 seconds (base, DCT) down to 3.8 seconds in the CS.

The problem is what happens between those straight-line numbers. The base M2 uses a passive M Sport suspension with no damping adjustment, while the Competition and CS add adaptive M dampers (EDC) that trade ultimate body control for ride comfort. On a fast road or a track curb, the stock setup leans, floats over mid-corner bumps, and rides high enough to leave visible fender gap. A quality coilover fixes all three at once by adding stiffer, purpose-built springs, monotube dampers with real adjustment range, and independent ride-height control so you can corner-balance the car.

Ohlins Road & Track DFV Coilover: What Makes It Different

The Ohlins Road & Track coilover for the BMW M2 (F87) is a Swedish-built, motorsport-derived kit that uses Ohlins' patented Dual Flow Valve (DFV) technology. The DFV adds an extra oil bypass that opens when the wheel hits a sharp bump or track curbing, so the damper can stay firm for cornering and braking support yet soak up harsh impacts without kicking the car off-line. In practice that is why the Road & Track can be genuinely comfortable on Florida’s broken pavement while still holding the body flat at speed.

Unlike a fixed lowering spring, the Road & Track is a true coilover. The front uses monotube DFV struts with spring preload that is separate from ride-height adjustment, so you can drop the car without sacrificing usable shock travel. The rear runs inverted aluminum DFV shocks with height-adjustable spring perches. Damping is set through a single golden clicker knob at each corner; because of the DFV design, that one adjuster proportionally changes both compression and rebound, low-speed and high-speed, so you are not chasing four separate settings to find balance.

Ride Height, Spring Rates & Damping: The Numbers

Ohlins ships the Road & Track kit with recommended baseline spring rates of roughly 9 kg/mm (515 lb/in) up front and 19 kg/mm (1,087 lb/in) in the rear – noticeably firmer than the factory M2 springs, but tuned by the DFV dampers so the car does not crash over expansion joints. Ride height is adjustable across a usable range that lets most owners run a clean, 0.8-1.5 inch drop for the street while leaving room to go lower for track duty. Because preload and height are separate up front, you keep the shock travel needed to control a 3,450 lb car over real-world bumps.

The single-knob damping is the feature owners rave about. On a base M2 with passive dampers you gain adjustment you never had; on a Competition or CS you trade the adaptive EDC dampers for a mechanical setup that is far more consistent lap after lap. One caveat: cars equipped with adaptive M suspension (EDC) – every M2 Competition and CS, plus EDC-equipped M3/M4 – need the matching Ohlins EDC cancellation kit ($650) to stop the dash from throwing suspension fault codes once the OE electronic dampers are removed.

Ohlins Coilover vs Springs vs Height-Adjustable Kits

Not every M2 owner needs a $3,500 coilover. If you mainly want to close the fender gap and firm up the ride for the street, adjustable or fixed springs on the OE dampers are a smart-value path. Here is how the four most popular F87 M2 suspension routes stack up. The Ohlins is the only option that replaces the dampers and adds real damping adjustment – which is exactly why it is our top pick for anyone who tracks the car.

KW H.A.S. – the height-adjustable middle ground

ST & Eibach springs – the value routes

Installing the Ohlins Coilovers on Your M2 (F87)

Plan on a full day in the garage or roughly 4-6 hours of shop labor for a four-corner coilover install on the F87 M2. The kit is a direct bolt-in – no cutting or welding – but there are a few M2-specific steps that matter. If your car has adaptive M suspension, install the Ohlins EDC cancellation kit at the same time so the electronic damper circuit reads correctly and the iDrive suspension warning stays off.

After the coilovers are bolted in, set your ride height with the car on the ground and rolled back and forth to settle the suspension, then take it to a shop for a corner balance and a fresh alignment. This is the step most owners skip and later regret: a coilover changes your camber, caster, and toe, and only a proper alignment turns the hardware into real grip and even tire wear. Start damping at the Ohlins-recommended baseline click count, then adjust from there based on how the car feels on your roads.

Dial In the Chassis: Alignment Arms & Sway Bars

A coilover is only half the handling equation. To get the most from the Ohlins on a lowered M2, you need to correct the suspension geometry and control body roll. These are the parts we install alongside the coilovers most often at our Tampa shop.

SPL Parts Front Lower Control Arms ($707) replace the rubber-bushed OE arms with motorsport spherical bearings and add adjustable caster and camber – essential for restoring proper geometry after a drop and for dialing in front grip on track. SPL Rear Toe Links ($397) do the same at the back, giving you adjustable rear toe and removing the bushing deflection that makes a stock M2 feel vague on corner exit.

For body-roll control, a Hotchkis Sport Sway Bar Kit ($629) firms up the M2’s roll stiffness and, on adjustable bars, lets you bias understeer or oversteer to taste. Pair it with SPL adjustable end links to keep the bars preload-neutral at your new ride height. Together with the Ohlins coilovers, this package turns a fast-but-floaty stock M2 into a genuinely track-capable chassis.

Ohlins Road & Track: Pros and Cons for the M2