Sexy M235i Ushers In a Most Efficient New BMW Era
M235i has an Audi Inspired Advantage
But then the old car hasd to make up for half a second’s worth of wheelspin and it is long gone once it catches up. See, an efficient 2 liter turbo just can’t live with a just as efficient three-liter turbo. It is rather what BMW borrowed from Audi that makes the difference — and that is all wheel drive.
This four-cylinder also loses out to the old straight six in noise — a poor synthesized effort to try match the sonorous old soundtrack falls a bit flat. But there’s very little else we can criticize this car on. It’s a tad harsh on less than perfect tar roads and you’ll never power slide it like its the old rear drive Two. Never mind that M6. But handling is nimble and crisp — at least as good as what we recently called great in Golf R.
M235i is as Quick as that Old M6
The new BMW M235i also has everything you’d expect inside a premium BMW — and for the price, of course. Infotainment is top drawer and compatible with whatever your mobile device may be. This One had quite splendid eight-way power M-Sport seats and all the latest BMW cabin trickery and style bits. Including mood lighting that reminded me a bit of old Darth Vader.
Getting back to that mad M6 I mention up top, is perhaps the best way to wrap this one up. Back when we tested that newcomer, it was the first car to ever break the 5-second 0-60 mph barrier to in our road test program. It was a landmark car and that was huge news.
That’s Progress
Now scroll down this M235i’s data 15 years anon. You’ll notice that it pretty well matches that M6. Yes, a current M8 will break three seconds to sixty, but it costs more than double what this car does. Which goes to show just how impressive downsizing has become. Never mind that it delivers that same performance using a third of the fuel.
Now that’s progress. And something even young Greta may be proud of…
Photos: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe
Engine: 301 hp 331 lb-ft 2-litre turbo petrol I4
Drive: 8-speed automatic AWD
TESTED:
0-40 mph: 2.44 sec
0-60 mph: 4.99 sec
0-100 mph: 12.10 sec
¼-mile: 13.4 sec @ 104 mph
50-75 mph: 3.47 sec
75-100 mph: 5.23 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 155 mph
Fuel: 30.9 mpg
LIST PRICE: $45,500