2014 BMW 2 Series preview
The new BMW 2 Series is basically a replacement for the 1 Series coupe and it has nothing to do with the front wheel drive, 2 series Active Tourer MPV. This is a proper rear wheel drive BMW and the 235i variant is the most proper of them all. It’s the same size, it’s roughly the same shape, and it evokes the spirit of the E36 M3. That’s got to be a good thing.
The retro hints extend further than you may think too. This car has got 321bhp which is not only 6 more than the M135i but also exactly the same output as the E36 M3. Unlike that car though BMW wouldn’t class this as a proper M Car. It’s one of their M performance models instead. That means it does without the drastic chassis changes and settles for firmer suspension, updated brakes and variable ratio steering. There’s no limited slip differential either unless you delve into the optional range of M performance parts.
I know we’ve been saying this isn’t a proper M car but in reality once you’re behind the wheel it really does feel like an M car, it’s seriously quick. We looked at a standard 6-speed manual, you can get an 8-speed auto as well if you want and that improves the 0-60 time too slightly, but even with the manual it will go from 0-60mph in 5 seconds flat which is seriously quick. The turbo engine doesn’t necessarily feel like one you get a really nice hit of torque down low and if you get towards the 7000 rpm rev line there’s still loads of character, it’s still got loads more to give. You can just shift up another gear and you get another instant hit again. And the good thing is, is that it does sound like an M car, for example if you drop it down to second, you get a really nice deep growl. A certain amount of that is synthesized but it does sound seriously good from the outside as well.
The M235i’s interior gets a few subtle upgrades over the standard 2 Series, the most noticeable of which is the excellent M steering wheel. You get a set of really comfortable and supportive sports seats too as well as a really clear and easy to use 6.5” colour screen controlled through the iDrive’s scroll wheel. It has a relatively sensible side to it as well with BMW claiming that the auto version will do almost 40mpg. And the manual car manages around 35mpg. There’s even a boot that’s 40 litres larger than that in the 1 Series.
So the BMW M135i was one of the best handling cars of last year and you’d expect the 235i to follow suit and it does which means you get a car which feels really tied down, you get a car with loads of traction and loads of grip, and great steering. When you have it set to sport mode it ups the resistance a little bit, and that feels like perfect mode, in comfort it’s a little too light. You don’t get loads of feedback, it’s not like you’re constantly wrestling with the wheel but it’s just enough let you know what’s going on and it’s just enough so you don’t get too tired of it.
Now because it’s just an M performance car and not a full out M car that means the engineers wanted to make it a little more accessible in the corners so you can find that you’ll be quite aggressive with the accelerator break in the corners and you can be quite aggressive with your steering inputs as well. And it’s not going to spit you out into a ditch, this is a car that flatters you and you’ll find that even with the traction control on, you don’t really feel it kicking in too much and it will kind of cut power if you’re accelerating it out of the corner into second gear. And other thing is there’s no limited differential as standard. A lot of people will probably say that that’s a shame but honestly road driving you probably won’t notice it. It might be good for a track and that’s why they offer it as an option.
As far as comfort is concerned, you can have adapted dampers for about £500 extra, and if you stick them in comfort you can get a really nice damp throw and it is firm but it’s not too firm and it just kind of takes all of the edge off all of the bumps. Cruising along at about 50mph it can still be really quiet inside so what you get is a car that is pretty extreme but one that also works as an everyday car.
If you want to buy an M235i it will set you back at about £35K and that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as the sub £30K price tag of the 135i. So the sensible thing to do would be to save the cash and go for the 1 Series but still there’s a massive part of me that sees the appeal of the 235i as a kind of reborn of a E36 M3, and I know there’s no logic to that paying more money to get a really similar car however it does really impress.
