RE: 2022 BMW M240i xDrive | PH Review

[ducnick]

I applaud bmw for making it. I love the fact that it still has buttons, and I really like the colour. If I were in the market for this sort of thing I would certainly take a look. This colour on an x3 with the same engine is starting to appeal.

[Limpet]

Chestrockwell said:

A lot of people say the m140i/m240i is a bit dodgey on the limit and they’re over powered but I’ve never had any trouble driving it.

Same here. I did 40k in my M140i all over the UK in all weathers and never came close to dying.

The biggest issue I had with it was frustration at the way the damping fell apart on a half bumpy road when trying to press on. It wasn’t an especially snappy or vicious car though.

[Alpenus]

you need to spec the wider front wheel/tyre combo, transforms the drive i hear, so may weight experts on here

[British Beef]

FaustF said:

That weight figure....

How come a GTR gets moaned at for weight and this porker is thudding around the place. Weight us one of the main benefits of not being electric and its being totally abandoned here.

Although looking at the hardware of the GTR and this they are fairly similar.

6 cylinder turbo engines, DCT, 4wd 4 seats, so actually not surprising they carry similar weight.

[NelsonM3]

Chestrockwell said:

The comments about the F22 M240i is nonsense!

My M240i never wants to kill me and the torque delivery is very linear, it’s a big lazy engine in a small car which makes a good recipe.

I say lazy because of the power delivery, it does have a above of torque lowdown that you can feel on the motorway cruising at 60 and putting your foot down but it never steps out at low speeds in bends unless it’s pouring down with rain.

Mine is a manual so maybe it’s different, having a clutch etc but all I know is, there is a bit of a chicane on the way to my house, it’s a bit like…

So there’s a traffic light and a one way route under a single lane bridge. I have to take an immediate left so when the light is green, I go through at speed, take an immediate left, second gear, car, never ever steps out of shape, purely because of the torque delivery. Linear.

A lot of people say the m140i/m240i is a bit dodgey on the limit and they’re over powered but I’ve never had any trouble driving it. My previous car however, the M4, is a completely different story, now that is a car that wants to take your life!

I had an M240i manual. Engine amazing, chassis not capable of dealing with the power. A flawed car.

[loudlashadjuster]

Tuvra said:

FA57REN said:

So about 40% heavier and 50% pricier than a GR86 for... what benefit?

Just buy the Toyota and go drive.

I wouldn't drive a GT86 if it was given to me. Absolutley terrible cars. No idea why they've got such a good reputation.

This BMW is OK, supposed to look a lot better in the flesh. The M2 is going to be epic though.

They said GR86 though...

[hiccy18]

So the jist of the review is it's an M240i for clumsy oafs? Six years in an M135i that's never felt like it's trying to kill me, that's not encouraging me to fork out £50k for it's replacement.

That said, with the exception of the rear view, I love how it looks; and her majesty's favourite colour is purple, but we both love the grey, unusually for us; and I love coupes in general, would've had an M235i but someone insisted on a five door hatch, so green light on a coupe would be great.

But it's i4 money.

[Numeric]

NelsonM3 said:

Chestrockwell said:

The comments about the F22 M240i is nonsense!

My M240i never wants to kill me and the torque delivery is very linear, it’s a big lazy engine in a small car which makes a good recipe.

I say lazy because of the power delivery, it does have a above of torque lowdown that you can feel on the motorway cruising at 60 and putting your foot down but it never steps out at low speeds in bends unless it’s pouring down with rain.

Mine is a manual so maybe it’s different, having a clutch etc but all I know is, there is a bit of a chicane on the way to my house, it’s a bit like…

So there’s a traffic light and a one way route under a single lane bridge. I have to take an immediate left so when the light is green, I go through at speed, take an immediate left, second gear, car, never ever steps out of shape, purely because of the torque delivery. Linear.

A lot of people say the m140i/m240i is a bit dodgey on the limit and they’re over powered but I’ve never had any trouble driving it. My previous car however, the M4, is a completely different story, now that is a car that wants to take your life!

I had an M240i manual. Engine amazing, chassis not capable of dealing with the power. A flawed car.

I had the M135i and in some ways it's flaws were a part of the charm - you had to really think about it and when very occasionally you did get it all right, it was a brilliant experience. At the time I got it I looked at the A45 as well, brilliant point and shoot machine but just seemed to lack soul, an issue I have found with some 4x4 cars with performance aspirations (not all). For me the 135i and family are cars that have to mastered like cars of old while fun was abundant at lower speeds, and the fact I never succeeded in mastering it didn't mean I didn't enjoy trying.

And if you didn't pay attention yes it could be frisky, so you just pay attention and all is well. Would an x-drive 335d have eaten it at the time, oh of course in most conditions, but I've never missed an x-drive BMW!!

Edited by Numeric on Friday 4th March 08:10

[CRA1G]

cerb4.5lee said:

Court_S said:

It’s bloody fast too, how fast will the M2 be?

This is definitely fast I agree, and it has the same 0 to 60 time as a manual F82 M4! The M2 will be a rocket for sure.

I'm weeks away from taking delivery of mine in "Thundernight" which as shown is the launch colour. I've ordered the Pro Pack and Technology Pack which gives it the bigger Red Brakes and wider Tyres with slight wheel arch extensions and the black shadow line Inc the wheels which the one showing doesn't have and makes a big difference imo. It will be interesting to drive it back to back with my M2 because as you say it's bloody quick and how much quicker is the NEW M2 going to be? My M2 order is already in though and deposit paid.

[bluesierra]

Unusually for a current BMW it's not hideous, but there's definitely a strong hint of Kia Stinger/ Holden Monaro at the back.
As usual for a current BMW it's significantly heavier than you'd think, but hey, that's modern BMWs for you.

My bigger question that jumps out from the write-up is: who looked at the M2 and thought "this should be a car with more power and less competent suspension"? Why is it that BMW in particular (although many of the German manufacturers do it) think that they MUST make the next generation of any car more powerful - rather than just better?
Audi with the RS3 seem to have got the hang of it; the latest one has no more power than the one before, but they've finally realised that it's powerful enough and that they should focus on making it better and more entertaining to drive. It comes back to the whole "cars are too fast to drive on the road" complaint, but it's true to an extent, and we end up year after year with cars that can lose your driving licence more and more easily but aren't actually more fun to drive.

[Wab1974uk]

I actually quite like this car. I watched Joe Achlies review of this car in Germany. It's certainly rear wheel drive bias, which will make it more fun that any of it's rivals.

I'd certainly choose one of these over an RS3 or A45-S. And you get that lovely straight 6 engine. Which lets be honest, is on borrowed time. Enjoy them while we can,

[aestivator]

The purple colour looks nice in photos, but I saw a real one yesterday and in anything other than strong sunlight it just looks like a black car that's really dirty. So maybe fine for southern Europe and the US, but not so great here.

[Trophy222]

Hang on, so you're pulling for a down change at over 6,000 rpm on a motor with a 7,000 rpm rev limit - unless that's a typo, i think its your driving technique not the gearbox that needs to be called into question! If you were right at 7k and stepped hard on the brakes the engine will be below 6k in a split second so driving like that you're going to be buzzing the limiter every time and potentially locking up the rear.

[Owlwood]

Annoying nitpick for the editors: The writer says its more poweful than the "old" M2. To avoid confusion, I would say the "original" M2. It's not as powerful as the M2 Comp, which you can't buy anymore. To me, that makes it the old one.

Maybe I was the only person confused by that.

[Harrison Bergeron]

interstellar said:

The back end isn’t the best is it!

It looks like it’s off a much bigger car.

[aestivator]

I also own an F22 M240i and yes the damping is a bit pants... which is easily solved with aftermarket shocks. It also could do with an LSD if you're being fussy.

Otherwise though I can't understand the complaint - if your desire is to be able to drive like a pillock whatever the weather, just buy an RS Audi and be done with it.

[KPB1973]

Another like from me. Yes it's a bit fussy at the back and maybe the bonnet is a little disproportionate in length to the cab and rear, but I think it'll look really good in the flesh without being as OTT as the current M3/M4. Plus it has a decent interior now.

Re: F20-series m-lites...one person's flawed gem is another's utterly disappointment. I'm in the latter camp.

I have a fairly long straight near me, with culminates in a S-shaped bend. It's a typical British b-road, so no billiard table flat either (and often damp). If ever there was a stretch of tarmac designed to highlight an Mlite's shortcomings, it is this.

[cerb4.5lee]

CRA1G said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Court_S said:

It’s bloody fast too, how fast will the M2 be?

This is definitely fast I agree, and it has the same 0 to 60 time as a manual F82 M4! The M2 will be a rocket for sure.

I'm weeks away from taking delivery of mine in "Thundernight" which as shown is the launch colour. I've ordered the Pro Pack and Technology Pack which gives it the bigger Red Brakes and wider Tyres with slight wheel arch extensions and the black shadow line Inc the wheels which the one showing doesn't have and makes a big difference imo. It will be interesting to drive it back to back with my M2 because as you say it's bloody quick and how much quicker is the NEW M2 going to be? My M2 order is already in though and deposit paid.

Exciting times ahead bud for sure!

I bet you can't wait.

[cerb4.5lee]

Owlwood said:

Annoying nitpick for the editors: The writer says its more poweful than the "old" M2. To avoid confusion, I would say the "original" M2. It's not as powerful as the M2 Comp, which you can't buy anymore. To me, that makes it the old one.

Maybe I was the only person confused by that.

I picked up on that as well, so you definitely weren't the only one. It is a bit confusing with there being the original M2, and then also the later M2 Comp with the change to the S55 engine with more bhp/torque.

[nickfrog]

aestivator said:

"If you wanted to fit anything in the old car, like more than two people, you needed to order a taxi as backup."

Fun fact: the interior of the new one is smaller.

Quite a bizarre part of the article indeed. The old one has exactly the same rear legroom as a 1 series (big surprise) ie plenty enough to fit a 6ft driver and a 6ft rear pax behind them. Similar headroom too.
The boot was bigger than a current Golf's too so no idea what they are on about.