The M235i is petrol-head nirvana
BMW has outdone itself with this riotously fast, remarkably good value addition to its world-beating M-range
America: land of the free, home of the brave – a famous phrase that probably wasn’t meant to apply to the speed limits. Which is tricky, given this new BMW M235i does 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds, and the local police apparently aren’t noted for their sense of humour.
So, having already eclipsed 140mph around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway racing circuit this morning, plans to cruise the famous Vegas strip are quickly abandoned in favour of a search for some rather more remote desert highway, fingers crossed in a “viva my driving licence” kind of way.
The M235i is BMW’s new baby M car – a sort of junior upstart joining the ranks as a lower rung on the ladder towards the legendary BMW M3 and M5. It’s actually what’s called an “M Performance” model, rather than a fully-fledged, Audi RS-rinsing bruiser, but it’s hardly lacking the necessary credentials.
There’s never been a BMW 2 Series before. It replaces the old 1 Series Coupe, following the pattern set by the 5 Series and 6 Series. As such the 2 gets sharkier looks, characterised by the narrowed lights and lowered front grille – and the obvious coupe profile. The M235i is the top dog, and sharkier still; bigger bumpers with air-hungry intakes, 18-inch wheels, afterburner exhausts. You know the drill.
It also comes with a 326 horsepower six-cylinder turbo petrol engine, plus an uprated suspension and braking package to match. The engine drives the rear wheels in proper BMW fashion, albeit via an optional eight-speed paddleshift automatic transmission in this particular instance. I’m not complaining – the auto is not only snappy enough to satisfy all those Formula One driver fantasies, it makes the car both faster and more efficient as well.
Enthusiastic drivers will already be declaring this car sex on legs. Or, as it were, rubber. But if you’re not quite getting it yet, the M235i is about the size of a family hatchback and much better looking, quicker than a Porsche Cayman S, cheaper than a regular Cayman and, with four seats, far more practical. It’s an astonishingly good value way to go awesomely fast.
I’m not going to tell you how fast. Suffice to say there are a lot of straight roads in the United States, and on some of them when you crest a hill you can see for miles and miles and miles. Even this gets a little tedious after a while – there are only so many times you feel like baiting the locals in gun-locker equipped pick-up trucks – so it comes as some relief to finally stumble across Nevada State Road 168. Which is about as straight as a late-80s perm, and now just as popular.
Presented with zero traffic and a series of swooping, minor mountain road corners, the M235i stops being merely rapid, and becomes something extraordinary. You have to drive it like you mean it. Pussyfoot around and you start to wonder who’s in control, but that engine is so alive to the rhythms of your right foot, and makes such a glorious noise, that you soon find yourself dialled in to a variation of petrol-head nirvana. It’s magnificent.
Faffing about with the adaptive suspension system, I never quite found an ideal blend of compliance and control, but that’s optional and so you can do without. In terms of everyday comfort, the interior quality and design should offer more than enough compensation for the money. This is an outstanding contender for the outright title of junior ultimate driving machine.
CJ Hubbard writes for motoringresearch.com.
THE FACTS: BMW M235I 8-SPEED AUTO
PRICE: £35,795
0-62MPH: 4.8 secs
TOP SPEED: 155mph (limited)
CO2 G/KM: 176g/km
MPG COMBINED: 37.2mpg
THE VERDICT:
DESIGN Three Stars
PERFORMANCE Five Stars
PRACTICALITY Three Stars
VALUE FOR MONEY Four Stars