Test Car Specifications
Model: 2023 BMW M340i xDrive Saloon
Price: From £47,515
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power: 374hp
Torque: 500Nm
Emissions: 186-200g/km
Economy/Range: 32.1-34.4mpg
0-62mph: 4.3 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Boot space: 390 litres
Styling
The 2 Series Coupe makes a strong case for itself as the most attractive car in the current BMW range. The long nose, squat haunches and short tail all give it a properly sporty stance, and this M240i version accentuates that with massive exhaust finishers and black trim around the bumpers. The result is a quietly aggressive, but still stylish and restrained two-door coupe that doesn't look out of place at posh parties or track days.
Interior
The 2 Series Coupe’s cabin is essentially a straight rip from the outgoing BMW 3 Series, and that’s absolutely fine by us. The quality of the engineering and the materials is second to none, and the technology on board works really well. That’s partly because BMW has given the M240i the operating system from the 3 Series, which makes use of the iDrive rotary controller on the centre console. Using that to navigate the logically arranged screen, drivers can keep their eyes on the road more of the time. The digital instrument display is not quite such a triumph, admittedly – it feels a bit cluttered – but overall it’s very good. A shame, then, that it’s likely to be replaced with BMW’s latest system soon.
Practicality
Practicality is not the 2 Series Coupe's forte, but what do you expect from a two-door hard-top. Admittedly, it does have rear seats, but adults are going to have to decapitate themselves if they want to get in there. Detachable legs would be handy, too. Kids probably stand a better chance, but only on shorter drives. This really is a 2+2, rather than a four-seater. Boot space, however, is pretty generous, with 390 litres of luggage capacity behind those occasional back seats. And if you need more room, you could always use the redundant back seats as a parcel shelf.
Performance
Key to the brilliance of the M240i xDrive is the powertrain from which it takes most of its name. Based around BMW's magnificent 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, it offers the 2 Series Coupe 374hp and 500Nm of torque, all of which goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. That means 0-62mph takes 4.3 seconds and the car tops out at the obligatory 155mph. But what impresses most about the engine is not the power, or even the rorty exhaust note when you wring it out, but the smoothness. At everyday speeds it whispers around, wafting you from place to place with a fabulous effortlessness. When it's capable of that, nobody really cares that it's only doing about 30mpg...
Ride & Handling
In any form, the 2 Series Coupe is great to drive, and that's partly because it shares so much with the equally brilliant 3 and 4 Series models. But because the 2 Series is that bit more compact, it seems to feel even more agile and intuitive, even if it's slightly firmer than the equivalent 3 Series. While it's true that the M240i's engine is heavier than those of its 2.0-litre siblings, the car still feels deliciously pointy when you show it a corner. The front end turns in immediately and the back of the car can still be controlled with the throttle. And while the ride is a touch firm at times, it's generally more comfortable than you expect from a two-door sports coupe. Combine that with the smoothness of the engine and you've got a coupe that's perfectly suited to touring.
Value
The BMW 2 Series Coupe is not an especially expensive car – the 220i starts at £36,010 and it comes with quite a lot of standard kit – but the M240i xDrive is a little costlier. With prices starting at £47,515, it looks a little expensive, but then you consider the performance on offer, it isn’t so bad. In fact, it’s about £5,000 cheaper than the Audi RS 3 Saloon and roughly the same price as an Audi TTS Coupe.
Verdict
The 2 Series Coupe is a peach in any form, but this M240i xDrive version is a firm favourite. Admittedly, it isn't as poised as a Porsche 718 Cayman, but it's much more usable every day and it's slightly less showy. Nevertheless, the supple muscliness of the 3.0-litre engine, the traction of the all-wheel-drive system and the innate balance of those 3 Series underpinnings put it straight to the top of the class. And it comes in a glorious shade of purple. What's not to like?
