BMW continues its purple patch
New 2-series marks BMW’S return to building a bespoke, two-door coupe-saloon in the spirit of the iconic E30
ARE THERE TWO BMWS CURRENTLY operating in this world? There’s the one that continues to transition to a manufacturer of electric vehicles via its inext revolution, which isn’t really that revolutionary when you consider the i3 and i8 broke the mould over a decade ago and BMW has been waiting for others to catch up ever since.
Then there is the century-old BMW, the one that gave us the ultimate driving machines, marvellous M-cars and, yes, SUVS. The one that built the traditional BMWS that many of us cut our teeth on when venturing into the world of driver’s cars that could also be used for daily chores and company-car duties, cars that for a while it appeared were no longer a priority to the company, there being a suggestion that an apathy had set in, a ‘that will do’ approach rather than an ‘is that good enough?’ attitude. But in recent times there has been something of a renaissance for that latter BMW, and we don’t just mean the latest batch of M-cars that have seen the M2 CS claim the 2020 evo Car of the Year crown, the M3 and M4 return to stellar form and the M5 CS redefine our opinion of how exciting a full-size supersaloon can be. There are the sub-full-m models too: the M550i and M340/440is that have demonstrated there are some individuals in Munich who care about how an Ice-engined BMW should drive and feel.
These models have steering that’s back to being linear and precise, body and ride control that no longer spends its time arguing with the road surface but delivers a level of compliance and cohesion that allows the car to breathe with whatever surface it’s on. And there are engines, be they with six or eight cylinders, that are precisely matched to the eight-speed ZF auto
gearboxes they are mated to, and rear-biased xdrive chassis that sparkle with an unexpected degree of enthusiasm and encouragement.
All this brings us neatly on to the latest of that breed, the all-new M240i xdrive. No longer an offshoot of the 1-series line-up, the new 2-series coupe is based on an adapted 3-series CLAR platform, which means rear-drive for the 2-litre petrol and diesel-engined models, and rear-biased four-wheel drive for the six-cylinder M240i. Sitting on top of said platform is an unashamedly three-box design, one that instantly brings to mind the iconic E30, a connection BMW is happy to acknowledge and go along with.
For a 21st-century BMW the exterior design is rather reserved. There’s no toothy front grille, but there is a 10-way active air flap incorporated within the modest kidneys, which are flanked either side by LED headlamps inspired by the 2002’s. Longer, wider, and lower than the 2-series coupe it replaces, at 1690kg it is also 220kg(!) heavier than the outgoing M240i and 115kg heavier than Audi’s new RS3 (see page 38).
In a bid to keep weight down, aluminium is used for that long bonnet and the panels that flank it, as well the front suspension struts, delivering a 9.6kg saving, while new wheel bearings trim away off a further 2.7kg. All new 2-series coupe models are fitted with passive springs and dampers as standard, with BMW Adaptive M suspension available as a cost option on the M240i. M Sport brakes and the M Sport rear differential are standard on the six-cylinder four-wheel-drive model, so too 19-inch alloy wheels.
Top: 19-inch wheels are standard, as are uprated M Sport brakes. Above: interior is suitably driver-orientated, but no manual gearlever or third pedal – the M240i is auto only
All new 2-series also have a wider track than the previous model, with the M240i’s wider still, and they all benefit from as-near-as-dammit 50:50 weight distribution, a key target in the model’s development process. With 369bhp and 369lb ft to call upon, the M240i has the credentials to become one of those under-the-radar sleeper performance cars (if not specified in Thundernight purple, anyway). Less overt, brash, and in your face than Audi’s RS3, this remake of the legendary E30 should prove to be yet another fine, driver-focused BMW to fire the imagination.
That the eight-speed automatic is the only gearbox option is likely to result in much hand-wringing from those craving a manual, but the uncomfortable truth is that we don’t buy enough new cars with manual ’boxes for the likes of BMW to invest in the development of one to pass the various emissions tests new cars have to be put through. But worry not, there is a full-bloodied M2 coming, too, and that might still have three pedals and a single driven axle.