M & S(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 42

BMW has really come good with the M240i, a cracker of a performance coupe that packs a 374hp punch, looks the part and gains xDrive 4WD in this smarter second generation form. With this one, the game just changed for the better.

Background word count: 154

If you see yourself as a bit of a car enthusiast, BMW's M240i badge might mean something to you. In 2014, when the brand's 'F22' generation 2 Series Coupe was first introduced, the hot six cylinder version was the M235i, which was the fastest model in the range until the M2 arrived in 2015. But that car was a big step up in price, if not in power. A better stepping stone to it was needed, hence the M235i model's upgrade to 'M240i' status in 2017. Enough with the history. Fast forward to 2022 and the launch of the 'G42' second generation 2 Series coupe. Again, there's still a delay with the introduction of an M2 version. Which means that the stepping stone model comes to the fore, still badged 'M240i' but now with an xDrive 4WD system. So you can enjoy all of that six cylinder power rush just that little bit more.

Driving Experience word count: 238

This may not be a proper M car but it most certainly has proper BMW underpinnings. Most enthusiasts for the brand had resigned themselves to the fact that the second generation 2 Series Coupe would, like the current 1 Series and the four-door 2 Series Gran Coupe, switch to the MINI-derived front-driven platform. Not so. BMW has instead kept this MK2 two-door Coupe 2 Series rear-driven, with a stretched version of the architecture used in the current G20 3 Series model. Which is a Good Thing. So is the fact that the 3.0-litre straight six beneath the bonnet is merely a light evolution of the powerplant used in the previous generation model. Here it generates 374hp, which despite the fact that this second generation design is 205kg heavier, still propels this car forward with indecent haste, 62mph from rest taking just 4.3s, with peak power available from under 2000rpm. That 4WD system makes this car so much more everyday-usable in our nation's unpredictable climate, with superb grip aided by sticky Pirelli P Zero rubber and an M Sport differential for extra cornering traction. The 8-speed ZF Sport Automatic paddle shift gearbox you have to have can occasionally be frustrating with its downshifts. But the red-callipered M Sport brakes are brilliant, as is the feelsome Variable Sport steering. And the M Sport suspension is firm but acceptably supple. Do you really need an M2 over this car? Think carefully.