derBayerische July /August 2022 - 38

T H E
feel controls, eye-pleasing curves,
and no hard plastic surfaces, the
M240i's interior looks both comfortable
and sturdy. Giving a nod to
those who think the M Performance
edition interiors should have a subtle,
yet noticeable M design cue, the door
panels have a tasteful backlit tri-color
insert.
The driver-focused design and
look appeal to the car enthusiast to
take the M240i for a long drive.
And drive we did.
Finding the proper driving position
behind the wheel of the M240i
was quite easy. Pushing the " start "
button awakened the 382 horsepower
and 369 foot-pounds of torque in the
TwinPower Turbo in-line six-cylinder
engine. To put that in perspective,
that's more than what the engine in the
2018 M2 produced. To ensure that all
this power is usable where the rubber
meets the road, all G42 M240is are
Y I N
A N D
all-wheel drive.
And yes, there may be many
enthusiasts who lament the lack of a
six-speed manual transmission - but
we enthusiasts have no one to blame
but ourselves. The volume of sales
simply do not justify offering this
option. Having learned to love
paddle-shifting the 7-speed DCT in
my 2012 135i and now in my 2020
M240i, I've found that not having to
deal with a third pedal significantly
enhances any driving experience.
The best way to describe the
driving experience of the 2022 M240i
is to think of a 2021 M2 Competition
coupe that's quiet, smooth and NOT
edgy. One needs to be on the top of
their driving game when behind the
wheel of a M2 Competition coupe
(see the Sept/Oct 2019 dBfor our M2
review). The M240i allows the driver
and the front passenger to smoothly
transition from urban warrior,
T H E
Y A N G
suburban neighbor, freeway burner,
canyon/twisty-road burner, and track
star. Oddly enough, we found ourselves
experiencing this all on one
driving adventure. Well almost; both
the Laguna Seca and Sonoma tracks
were closed!
The front-passenger reference
was intentional. Except for the 4
Series, the legroom on today's BMW
coupes is a bit lacking. Considering
that the Neue Klasse, E21, E30, E32,
E46, and E60 coupes could all easily
accommodate four American sized
adults, that is a bit disappointing.
The past " efficiency dynamics "
efforts have resulted in all BMWs
achieving outstanding fuel economy.
The " auto start " feature now operates
in a seamless fashion. During our
1,500-mile evaluation, we achieved a
combined average fuel economy of
28 miles per gallon. Most of these
miles were on Northern California
freeways, keeping up with California
traffic.
When driving over 1,500 miles
in a week leaves you yearning for
more time behind the wheel, you
know that you have an ideal " driver's
car. " The 2022 M240i is a perfect
example of automotive Yin & Yang.
Don't be surprised to see the 2002
M240i as the featured autocross car
on this year's " Ultimate Driving
Experience " and the featured track car
at both the Spartanburg and Thermal
facilities. Be forewarned - you'll want
to buy one!
Incidentally, the last vehicle
that made us yearn for more time
behind the wheel was the 2021
M440i coupe (see the Sept/Oct 2021
dB for the review).
Having driven examples of the
E21, E30, E32, E36, and E46 3 Series
as well as having owned a 2012 135i
convertible and now driving a 2020
M240i convertible, it's clear that
BMW has the exclusive, elusive,
and evolving " secret sauce " for
developing and produce the Yin &
Yang of sports sedans. The 2022
M240i xDrive is yet another example
of BMW still having " it. "
■ (Clockwise from Left) If this doesn't make you want to hop in and drive,
stick to looking at flowers. Plenty of cargo room. Door panel inserts during
the day. Door panel inserts at night. The heart of the matter. In the back,
room for (small) two.
38
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