When the BMW M2 was launched back in 2016, enthusiasts across the world broke out in spontaneous song. To many, this car brought back what is the quintessential BMW performance car; it was compact, fast, and drove the rear wheels, but after a solid four-year run, BMW has decided to call it a day, with the production of the M2 Competition due to come to an end in the near future. The good news is that BMW is developing a next-generation version, and while the 2 Series isn't expected to arrive until 2021, the subsequent M2 will only make an appearance in 2022. No prototypes have been spied as of yet, which has opened the doors to designers to create renderings of what the car could look like. We've seen some interesting proposals, but the latest effort by Instagram user Bmw43_ has to be the best.

The renderings show a car that follows an evolutionary styling approach rather than a complete makeover, and it's pleasing to see that the 4 Series grille has not made its way into this design. The front of this M2 concept includes kidney grilles which seem to have been borrowed from the BMW M8 and includes an aggressive front splitter and angular side intakes. The headlights also take on a more angular and aggressive look when compared to the current M2. In the back, BMW43_ has taken an easier approach: things look a bit more conservative, and the quad tailpipes and rear diffuser look similar to the current car, only more aggressive. The overall look is aggressive and compact, just as it should be.

To please enthusiasts, BMW will offer the M2 exclusively in RWD guise, and the car is expected to be powered by the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine that does duty in the new BMW M3 and M4. The engine in the new M2 will reportedly produce 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, which is 15 more hp than you get in the current M2 Competition. The M3 and M4, on the other hand, see power outputs of 480 hp in base form, and a serious 510 hp in Competition spec. There's no telling what the new M2 will look like, but whatever BMW decides to do, buyers are sure to line up outside dealerships.