New 2022 BMW M240i xDrive Coupe is fiercely fun
The average height of humans in industrialized nations has increased about 4 inches since the 18th century. Our homes have grown larger as well, having more than doubled since the 1950s to an average size of 2,584 square feet. So it’s no surprise that our cars have gulped a gallon of jumbo grow as well.
Consider the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive. At 179.4 inches long, it’s about the same size as the 2010 BMW 3 Series. Certainly the 2022 BMW M240i Coupe is larger than the model it replaces, being 3.5 inches longer, 2.6 inches wider, 0.1 inch lower and using a 2.0 inch longer wheelbase. The front track has increased by 2.8 inches while the rear track has grown 1.9 inches — which lends added stability.
But, oddly, the added girth doesn’t translate into a roomier cabin. In fact, rear seat legroom has shrunk by nearly an inch, while rear seat headroom has been reduced by nearly 2 inches. But buyers don’t buy the 2 Series Coupe for its spaciousness. They buy it for fun.
For the new model year, the 2 Series Coupe remains a classic rear-wheel-drive BMW, one that channels
the brand’s most coveted coupes. The new 2 Series is offered as the rear-wheeldrive 230i, and as the all-wheel-drive M240i.
While the base 230i Coupe is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, the M240i is the far brawnier model. Credit its 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine that now delivers 382 horsepower along with 369 pound-feet of torque.
The new M240i lacks the mammoth grille that has plagued the 4 Series Coupes and other BMWs. It still sports the angular sheet metal increasingly seen on BMWs, which no doubt aids its aerodynamic efficiency.
Open the M240i’s doors and you’re greeted by a comfortable cabin you’ll immediately recognize if you’re with the latest BMW models. It’s loaded with the expected amenities, such as leather sport seats with adjustable lumbar support. The instrument panel is anchored by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen; an 8.8-inch infotainment display is standard.
To put it mildly, performance is fiercely fun. The silky 3.0-liter inline six provides incredible thrust, particularly in Sport or Sport+ mode. That’s when the car becomes lightning quick, as do the transmission shifts. On the flip side, when the road surface turns rough, switching to Comfort mode transforms this sports coupe’s ride, making it easy to live with every day.
That’s what makes the 2022 BMW M240i so compelling. Like the legendary BMW sports coupes that preceded it, the M240i xDrive has rewarding driving dynamics, a potent powertrain, top-rate technology and a look that won’t provoke sarcastic comments.
And it largely meets our enormous expectations for a modern ultimate driving machine.