The letter M and one number have long been used to identify the quickest and most competent BMWs. And the X-marked SUVs are no exception. However, as the M vehicles’ power, speed, and size have increased, they have nearly wholly outgrown the route.
For many, only the smaller, less-powerful BMW M2 excels on the racetrack and the street. However, while the next-generation M2 appears to be continuing the party, you don’t have to wait for it. If you want quick, balanced, and manageable enjoyment, the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive Coupe is the way to go.
The BMW M240i xDrive in Action
Even though BMW will release the next-generation M2, the ‘current-gen’ model is currently unavailable. Aside from the limited-edition M2 CS, the 2021 M2 Competition was the last production M2 offered in the United States. So, if you want the most recent M2, you’ll have to go secondhand. If you wish M2-level performance in a brand-new BMW, the 2022 M240i xDrive Coupe is the way to go. Unlike the 2 Series Gran Coupe, this is a genuine two-door coupe.
Aside from semantics, the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive is an M Performance model rather than a full-fledged M vehicle. As such, it sports the most powerful engine in the 2022 2 Series portfolio, as well as M adaptive shocks, vented disc brakes, and an active differential as standard. In addition, while summer performance tires are more expensive, performance run-flat tires are free. Furthermore, the 2022 M240i’s gearbox boasts faster shifts and shorter gear ratios than the 2021 model. It also has launch control.
The fundamental advantage of the 2022 M240i xDrive Coupe over the M2 is standard all-wheel drive. Despite being heavier than the RWD M2, the M240i xDrive is just as quick in a straight line. And not only on paper.
According to Car and Driver, the 2022 M240i xDrive outperforms the manual and DCT M2 Competition in the 14-mile by 0.3 seconds. Furthermore, while the M2 and M240i accelerate to 60 mph faster than BMW says, both M2 Competition variants accelerate slower than the 2022 M240i. The M Performance 2 Series is also more fuel-efficient.
BMW M240i xDrive Features, Options, and Competition
The 2 Series isn’t overly equipped, but it’s also not too loaded. A standard power sunroof reveals an ambient-lit interior with two-zone temperature control, power front seats covered in synthetic leather, and a genuine leather steering wheel. Dual USB ports power devices that can connect to the onboard 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and the Bluetooth-enabled infotainment system, which has an 8.8-inch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto compatibility, and a 10-speaker audio system.
Its mirrors dim automatically, and it boasts connected vehicle technology and a package of sophisticated driving aids, including dynamic cruise control, frontal collision warning, lane departure warning, blind-spot recognition, and speed limit monitoring. Some of it is covered by a four-year or 50,000-mile limited warranty.
The M240i boasts standard M Sport brakes with four-piston front calipers, a performance rear differential, and adaptive suspension, which helps it stay on the road with run-flat all-season tires on 19-inch wheels.
You may upgrade those tires to a pair of higher-performance choices, one of which comes as part of a package that includes an additional oil cooler and a more significant radiator fan for track use. Four Vernasca leather hues, three-zone temperature control, active cruise with stop-and-go, and a 600-watt, 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system are available a la carte, as are a few packages.
At a price tested, the M240i might compete with a wide range of performance vehicles, but for comparison, I’ll limit it to AWD models of similar size and nationality. That leaves the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35, Audi S3, and Audi TT. Both four doors are powered by turbo four-cylinder engines that don’t generate as much noise as the Audi. Still, the Audi has superior gas efficiency and a notoriously adjustable engine that can make the difference.
BMW M240i xDrive is an Awesome Speedy Autocross
When I drove the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive on Road America’s autocross track, fuel efficiency wasn’t a huge worry. The test vehicle didn’t establish any new track records since it didn’t have the optional performance tires or M Technology Package, which provides additional brake and powertrain cooling. However, after just a few bends, it was evident that the M240i didn’t require either to be ridiculously quick.
The engine is powerful regardless of gear or rpm and has a lovely, somewhat muffled, six-cylinder-smooth grumble. When it comes to gears, whether you use the transmission or the paddles, the shifts are lightning-fast. The 2022 BMW M240i also boasts plenty of grips owing to the differential and AWD system. However, it is also nicely balanced, which is why it turns freely when braking; by the way, great brakes. When you start sliding, you laugh at how simple it is to catch and control.
However, there is one flaw in this wild coupe, and that is the steering. Don’t get me wrong: it’s quick, precise, and effective for building muscle. However, the M Sport steering wheel provides little to no road sensation. Get a Mazda Miata if you want the last say on feedback. That was the second-fastest car I drove that day, by the way.
The quickest car, however, was the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive Coupe. It was perhaps too fast for the narrow go-kart circuit. I had to keep reeling that ridiculous engine like a hyperactive Great Dane on a leash. While fighting for your speed is enjoyable, so is being able to wield such a powerful instrument as a rookie readily. And that is probably the M240i’s greatest strength: no matter your degree of experience, the M240i makes going fast look easy.
BMW M240i xDrive: Sustainability
While the M240i doesn’t stand out in terms of mileage or sustainable materials, the factory that produces it was the most efficient of BMW’s as of 2019. Its San Luis Potos, Mexico facility has the lowest per-vehicle water use of any BMW manufacturer, and its paint shop will be (if it isn’t already) one that creates zero effluent. In contrast, electricity use is entirely renewable or on the verge of becoming so.
2022 BMW M240i xDrive: Final Verdict
The 2022 BMW M240i xDrive is one of the most unrealistic performance vehicles in its price range, so it must make up for it by being nothing but pleasant. However, it does not. I believe its pedal reflexes detract from what would otherwise be an excellent performance coupe—one with flaws, to be sure—but I don’t appreciate my head shaking like a sobbing newborn whenever I consider changing speeds. It’s incredibly disappointing for a vehicle that, on paper, should be the finest in its class, with RWD, a six-cylinder engine, and an actual two-door coupe appearance.
Instead, BMW messed up the fundamentals, rendering the M-lite 2 Series unenjoyable to drive. I’d be prepared to dismiss those stabby pedals as a nitpick exacerbated by ADHD-related sensory impairments if it weren’t for complaints from passengers, which I never receive in other cars. It was so awful regularly that I’d be embarrassed to put individuals I care about to it any more than I already had to. It’s a car I’d only feel happy driving alone, not for fun, but to express my dissatisfaction with the world.
But, even as our emotions dissipate and our minds clear, the BMW M240i remains restless. It’s always acting as though it wants the honor offered to the M2 while not being one. The saddest part is that it would be so much better if it weren’t so sensitive if it could settle into the position of the entry-level M, a gentler coupe capable of blowing the doors off anything in its price bracket.
Instead, it’s a half-baked workaround that lashes out at its driver whenever possible: A continual reminder that it’s not the M2 you wanted and that it probably won’t be.
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