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Just like you weren’t supposed to call 2012’s BMW 1 Series M Coupé an “M1”, be sure to not call the BMW M235i xDrive an “M2”, either; there is an M2 coming, but this ain’t quite it.
Review Overview
Styling - 85%
Driving Pleasure - 90%
Performance - 90%
Driving Comfort - 75%
Interior Space - 65%
Fuel Economy - 70%
Winter - 75%
79%
What this is, is kind of a “lite” M-car; it’s the most powerful 2 Series you can get for the time being, and it has a few styling cues to remind you that it’s more than a simple 235i, although it does use the same turbocharged inline-sixer as that car used to.
Look closely, and you’ll see the special stuff; special wheels, silver-coloured wing mirrors, more aggressive front and rear fascias, new side mouldings and a pair of big, chrome-tipped tailpipes.
It does a good job of making the already taut 2 Series into something just a little more athletic, a little more showy, but not to the point where you’ll feel like you’re showing off, necessarily.
Inside, BMW has done a very good job with the small 2 Series’ packaging; as is the case with Bimmers, the driver is made to feel ensconced thanks to having everything tilted his or her way, from the iDrive screen, to the centre stack. The M235i also benefits from BMW’s penchant for fitting fantastic sport seats for their cars; the side bolsters can be made to feel just right thanks to their adjustability, and taller drivers get the benefit of an extendable seat cushion. It makes finding the perfect harmony between wheel, seat and pedals a breeze, and the overall driving position is an excellent one.
Problems arise, a little, when it comes to rearward visibility as the back window is quite small, although the tallish roofline means big side windows that allow a nice amount of light into the cabin. As does the glass sunroof, although that comes as part of the $4,500 Premium Package that also provides a rear view camera, auto dimming mirrors, navigation and park distance control.
Other options found on our tester include the $2,500 Executive Package (adaptive headlights. High-beam assistant, premium Harmon-Kardon sound and Sirius XM), M Performance Exhaust ($1,500—sounds fantastic) and the $500 ConnectedDrive package, which basically turns your car into a kind of executive assistant, but also adds traffic info to the navi. If you can live without that, I’d save the $500.
Because, really, this isn’t a 7 Series limo, where ConnectedDrive makes a lot more sense; this is a compact performance coupe with an M badge, and I don’t need some virtual secretary reminding me that I have a meeting at 12:30 tomorrow as I’m trying to negotiate a turn on my favorite backroad at speed.
Chances are you will be at speed, too, because there’s a lot of speed to be had here, and it comes quick and fast. Power from the turbo six-cylinder is rated at 322 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque, up 81 and 74, respectively, on what’s made by the 228i; there is no longer a non-M235; if you want six-cylinder power for your 2 Series, then either the M235i xDrive or its rwd M235i version is your only choice.
Peak torque comes at 1,450 r.p.m., and thanks to BMW’s smart TwinPower turbo geometry, the turbo impellers will keep spinning until the 4,800 mark, at which point you’re almost into peak hp territory, at 5,000 r.p.m. Basically, what this all means is you’ll be blasting forth in no time; it may not look as brash as the 1 Series M Coupe, but boy, if it isn’t fast. Indeed, BMW claims identical 0-60 mph times for both cars: 4.4 seconds.
The power is fed to four wheels in what starts out as a 40:60 front/rear ratio, but 100 per cent of that can be directed to either axle. Power can’t be distributed on a per-wheel basis, but dynamic stability control does use brake drag to help swing the car through corners. It all happens through an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic intermediary, which is your only option if you want xDrive. Rear-wheel drive models get the option of a six-speed manual. I’d like the option of both—a car like this deserves to have its ratios manually rowed—but at least the auto gets along well with the engine, especially if you select either the Sport or Sport+ driving modes (Normal and ECO finish the count).
In these modes, both throttle inputs and gearchange speed are changed, while Sport+ partially deactivates the traction control system. The change to ECO mode, meanwhile, is pretty marked; for one, a small graphic appears underneath the tachometer to show how many clicks you’re adding to your fuel level. Not that you need that; the mushy throttle feel and lazy transmission is pretty obvious itself. This is an ECO mode, alright.
So, naturally, we spent more time on Sport mode; it didn’t lead to spectacular fuel returns (we saw 12.1L/100 km combined, and BMW claims 10), but it lead to a fantastically fun and involving drive. A short wheelbase, good power and well-weighted steering will do that. To be honest, I never thought I’d experience another fun, small BMW that would ever match up with the 1 Series M Coupé, and while the M235i xDrive may not be quite as garish on the outside, the dynamics provided are worthy of the M badge.
Now, what will really be interesting is what the actual M2 will be like when it launches in 2016 for the 2017 model year.
