The BMW M240i xDrive Coupé at a glance
2 Series Coupé still with rear-wheel drive
Sheer driving pleasure – this brand slogan has come under the ever larger BMW wheels in recent years. Large and small SUVs, heavy coupés and even heavier sedans are increasingly displacing the handy compact sports cars. In 2019, the rear-wheel drive 1 Series also had to go and was replaced by an arbitrary successor on an equally arbitrary front-wheel drive platform.
There was fear that the new 2 Series Coupé, which so far had hardly any technical affinity to the front-wheel drive Gran Coupé and Active Tourer, could follow the 1 Series and Co. on the UKL basis. But BMW made an early effort to dispel these fears and to make it clear that the new 2 Series Coupé (G42) is also on a rear wheel platform. With this decision, all those who put driving fun before unconditional cost efficiency have clearly prevailed at the Munich headquarters on Petuelring.
M240i now as strong as the first M2
The result is a 4.54 meter long (plus 11 centimeters compared to its predecessor) and almost 1,800 kilograms of joy that can rightly pass as an M4 alternative. You read that correctly: the M Performance 2 Series already drives so well that it can compete with the in-house creme de la creme. The 374 PS strong 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder with simple twin-scroll charging hangs neatly on the gas, is not too strong, not too weak and has no alternative to a well-stepped 8-speed converter transmission. A manual gearbox will probably only be available with the new M2 (BMW M240i xDrive combined fuel consumption: 8.8-8.1 l / 100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 200-185 g / km²).
500 Newton meters of torque are also a word and never embarrassed to catapult the muscle man properly forward. The driving performance is correspondingly fast: it goes from standstill to 100 km / h in 4.3 seconds, electronically limited to 250 km / h. For comparison: an M4 (F82) drives with you (without M Driver’s Package) at eye level, even an M3 (E92) is clearly at a disadvantage. Accordingly, it is also difficult to classify the high price correctly.
Tight pricing versus great driving pleasure
Seen as a simple 2-series coupé, where you as an adult cannot even sit properly in the rear, at least 56,000 euros is simply too much money. But if you look at the M240i xDrive from the perspective of driving fun, you get by far the cheapest and perhaps also the best M (Performance) BMW of recent years. This is not only due to the sonorous sounding B58 six-cylinder, but above all to the lateral dynamic qualities. Where the last M2 brutally maltreated the rear wheels at the beginning with even less power, the M240i (as with the predecessor) is supported by a rear-biased xDrive all-wheel drive when cornering in heat.
Transversely dynamic on top
The DSC can meanwhile be switched to sport mode so that the M240i xDrive can develop its full potential. Slightly step on the gas at the apex of the bend and the rear is noticeably pushing outwards, but thanks to the standard M sport differential, it is easy to control. The very direct connection between driver, steering and road is pleasing, and the adaptive M suspension is even very comfortable when requested. It is also a real pleasure to watch how harmoniously the engine and transmission work together. The bottom line is that the 2 Series Coupé conveys a lightness of driving dynamics that allows you to find your way back to the actual core of the BMW brand, away from the giant kidneys and the rampant electrification.
The ergonomics inside the vehicle are also pleasing. Everything fits, fits and is tailored to the driver. The optional M sport seats are extremely comfortable, have strong lateral support and at the same time are mounted so deep that the “Popometer” can work properly. In other words: there is a strong bond with (driving) a car, without missing modern conveniences. Map navigation, digital radio and the hi-fi sound system are standard, the Live Cockpit and, for the first time in the 2 Series, a full head-up display are optionally available.
First conclusion
Hats off BMW! The new M240i xDrive Coupé impressed across the board in terms of driving dynamics in the first test. The engine, transmission and steering form a unit, and the adaptive M chassis has also learned how to spring comfortably. At 56,000 euros, the six-cylinder 2-series is not a bargain, but it offers a lot of driving fun for the money. Production in Mexico has already started, the market launch in Germany will take place on January 22, 2022. (Text and image: Thomas Vogelhuber)
