Poke the BMW’s mighty nose around a corner and you’ll find that comparisons to the M2 aren’t limited to its ability to demolish the straights. The meaty steering doesn’t offer as much feedback, but it’s precise and has a near-perfect response rate, which in combination with the cast-iron control of the adaptive dampers (there are Comfort and Sport settings, plus an adaptive mode automatic) allows you to load the chassis just like that.
There are bags of bite up front and the car takes a nicely neutral mid-corner stance, but there’s also the option to quickly alter your line if you’re feeling frisky. Hit the throttle hard and you’ll get a subtle smear of oversteer, aided by the electronic limited-slip differential at the rear, before the xDrive system sends torque forward for a safe slingshot exit.
On give-and-take roads, few cars can zip through terrain as quickly as this BMW, or deliver as much old-school fun.
Dial everything back and the M240i is a surprising sybarite. Even with the standard adaptive dampers in their softest setting, the ride is still firm, especially over the sharpest imperfections, but it’s rarely uncomfortable and much more comfortable than the M2. Noise levels are also low, and over long distances the BMW makes a passable impression of a miniature grand tourer.
And the disadvantages? Well, the eight-speed automatic gearbox offers crisp, snappy gear changes, but we can’t help but wish that, like the old car, there was a manual option. Oh, and while the brakes offer good stopping power, they lack confidence-inspiring initial bite and suffer from a surprisingly long pedal.
Still, these are worries rather than deal breakers, because overall the M240i is a real riot to drive. Plus, at just under £46,000, it offers unrivaled performance per pound.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-03-04 09:51:30
