BMW 2 Series

There are more potent M-badged cars in BMW's stable, but Rob Margeit argues the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive is all the 'M' car you will ever need.

Perfect second city car, or ideal weekend sports car? The new BMW 2 Series suggests you should probably have both – in a single package.

Greg Kable explores the new M240i xDrive – the two-door coupe at the forefront of BMW's 2022 performance car line-up.

BMW’s bringing prestige to the entry level with its 218i Gran Coupe, but is there substance to this style-oriented range-opener?

BMW claims affordable electric cars have a place in the company’s future line-up, all but confirming the future of its entry-level 1 Series hatchback and 2 Series sedan.

Watch the full episode of our Drive from Brisbane to Noosa here. Tune in on Channel Nine, or 9Now to watch Season 3 of Drive TV every week - Saturday afternoon at 1.00pm.

BMW is said to be introducing entry-level electric vehicles, named the i1 and i2.

Sixt Australia will take delivery of approximately 100 BMW iX3s, the fifth electric vehicle available to rent through the NRMA-owned rental car company.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé offers the full BMW experience at a more attainable price point, making it the ultimate first step into the luxury segment.

Looking to buy BMW's latest compact sports coupe? Here is everything you need to know about the BMW M240i

You may have seen our hugely popular list of cars that Aussies should be buying, but aren’t. And while it hasn’t done anything to improve the fortunes of the Peugeot 308 – despite our vehement insistence that it is one of the cars that should get small car purchasers through the door – the response was excellent.

Growing up, cars was always my passion. From a very young age I would spend countless hours on car sales trying to figure out what I would buy if I had the money, only issue was that I didn't and was therefore always forced to make a "smart" purchase, which usually left me miserable ?. So you can imagine my excitement when I turned 26 and could finally justify spending $40,000 on a car. There were many options and a lot of thinking went into picking the BMW M235i. I wanted a driving experience, something with sophisticated engineering and dynamic abilities but also something that was practical, fuel efficient and was easily able to commute on a daily basis as I couldn't afford two cars. It also had to be fast, very fast, otherwise I why spend that kind of money? My toss up (for that price range) was between the M235i, Audi S3, Golf R, Ford Focus RS and I was possibly looking at the A45 AMG. The Audi was practical and the interior was high quality but the all wheel (mainly front wheel) drive feature didn't suit, the golf r was a solid all rounder but I don't like how common they are and considering it has the same driveline as an S3 there was no sense of that "special" feeling, the focus rs was too rough to live with everyday and a manual gearbox was not a preference, A45 was slightly more expensive with higher KMs and again was front wheel drive. When I looked at the BMW, after watching multiple reviews I had learner that this model was likened to the famous E46 M3, like how could you ignore such a comparison. All I did was drive it once and I was done. It had a huge 6 cylinder 3 litre N55 engine - same engine you'll find in an M2 although it is detuned, an 8 speed ZF gearbox, it's rear wheel drive, perfectly balanced, it has high performance brakes, it's a coupe (personally love this aspect), it's got excellent handling, the suspension in comfort mode is excellent, the different modes bring an exhilarating difference to the cars behaviour, the steering is perfectly weighted (considering its electric) but becomes heavier as you race through the modes, it's very fuel efficient for a performance coupe, it looks amazing, the infotainment is advanced although does have its issues, it can actually fit 4 adults if required and it's not too low so it doesn't compromise on daily comfort but is low enough to throw around corners with complete sureness. The list of positives is endless for this model, but it isn't without its faults and there are a few. For starters; - the Bluetooth connectivity could be better - when it works it works well but sometimes after phonecalls or when I start the car it will not continue playing music and I'll have to disconnect and reconnect. - the startup tones are annoying as all hell - stop start function should be automatically off on startup - the brakes are overly grabby at low speeds - Harmon Kardon Sound system would have been nice - exhaust note could have been louder , although this can obviously be changed - Looks significantly less muscular than the M2 All in all, if you are looking for fun, practicality, style, a proper driving experience, value for money in the european market, I can't think of a better fit than the M235i.

The BMW “New Class”, most well known for the venerable 2002 Turbo, was something of a saving grace for a company that was struggling through a post-war financial crisis. It also created a dynamic precedent, one the German marque has tried valiant

I have only owned my M235i for a month but I know enough to realise that this machine is amazing. But first I'll start with some of the more boring stuff. The interior is either a highlight or boring depending on what you're looking for. It's classy and has excellent build quality. But for a sports car it lacks some drama. Some M Performance parts in carbon fiber can help but it gets expensive. The steering wheel is fantastic. Soft, thick and has simple and useful buttons. All the buttons are where they should be and within reach. The dual zone climate control is a bit tricky to get used to. The system relies too much on the sensor. So if the cabin is 20 degrees and you set the climate control at say 23 degrees then it, even on AC on and cold, becomes a furnace. On the other hand, if the outside temp is 26 degrees and the cabin is slightly less, if you set it at 23 degrees then it's ice cold. A bit fiddly. Maybe I haven't found a sweet spot. I ticked the Comfort Package as an option. Why? Because the M235i doesn't come standard with electric seats. The standard seats don't even get lumbar support. This was a bit of a let down. The electric seats are great though. Heated too. Comfort package also adds touch sense unlock and lock which is useful, if not completely necessary. Space in the back is not as bad as first suspected. Enough leg room for adults (just) and enough head room if they're not too tall. But at the end of the day, a sports coupe is for the driver and maybe a passenger. If you're buying this car and worried about the back seats - get a 3 series. The standard Professional Navigation is great. The screen is clear and once you get used to it, the controls are easy. Annoyingly, Australia has yet to get BMW connected drive features that are available in some other markets. Mobile phone connects seamlessly with the car. Both calls and audio streaming works just fine. The iDrive screen also also can show/play text messages and emails from my HTC phone. The price. Hmmm. $79k retail for the M235i when the M135i with the ZF box is about $69k. BMW has taken a leaf our of Mercs books and added $10k on for a coupe. Ridiculous. BUT if you compare this car to an E92 M3 (and you can - sort of), 1M coupe, and the old 135i coupe, then it's actually priced pretty well. Haven't got the car serviced yet so can't comment there. I get free servicing for 5 years as part of a corporate package so my input here is biased. The tyres are about $1800 to replace all four. Ouch. Okay onto the fun stuff. You can't get a sports car without at least trying BMW's N55 3.0L 6 cylinder turbo engine. It will put all 4 cylinder engines to shame. Yes, you can get a CLA45 AMG with a 4 cylinder turbo and more power. But the lack of turbo lag, the screaming high end, that gorgeous ENGINE soundtrack, and overall versatility and brutality make this engine a must. I versed my friend's E92 M3 with DCT and beat him every time from 0-100km/h. I put it down to superior low down torque from the turbo and slightly lighter kerb weight. It feels good beating a proper M car with my meager M performance vehicle that's half the price :) The ZF 8 speed gearbox is both smooth and yet dual clutch fast. 8 gears may be a bit too many for some but you only ever use gears 2-4 for most mountain roads. So the gears are usable and yet in 8th at 100km/h the revs sit at a low 1750rpm. Fantastic for long distance driving. In Eco Pro mode driving 80km on the Bruce Highway I managed to gain an extra 15km. It's too annoying for daily driving but saves you a lot of fuel on a long drive. I'm averaging 9-9.5L/100km. More than the 7.6L/km that is officially listed but I do drive without economy in mind. Anyway, back to the fun stuff. Yes the first thing you notice about the car is the engine. Then you notice how smooth and responsive the gearbox is. But what you truly appreciate and enjoy is what you can do with this chassis. I'm lucky enough to drive to and from work on a mountain road. The first thing you have to be aware of is the tyres. These Michelin Pilot Super Sports are very grippy in both wet and dry. But only when they're warm. When they're cold the car is completely different. It really affects how the chassis responds. When the tyres are cold and you push the car hard, the car will initially understeer and then snap into neutral. With some throttle it will squirm rather than drift into oversteer. It struggles for traction after a slow corner when the tyres are cold. When the tyres are warm and the car is pushed hard, the chassis responds and the car sits neutrally in the corner until you either brake or give it throttle. The car is more controllable (but not completely) on the throttle when the tyres are warm and you really feel the car respond to lunacy (with a drift) or easy throttle with sheer pace. Now the M235i is an M Performance Vehicle and so doesn't come standard with a limited slip-differential. When driving like a race car driver this is not so much of an issue. The car likes to stay straight and encourages fast smooth driving. However, when driving like an idiot, the lack of a LSD diminishes the amount of control with the throttle. It means controlled satisfying lunacy is not something you get in a car without a proper diff. That said, the lack of a mechanical diff makes the car a little less predictable. Is this a good thing? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends what mood you're in. The steering does lack the feel I would like from a sports car. I've owned a Mazda 3 Maxx Sport and Ford Focus ST both of which have better steering feel than my M235i. This detracts from feeling 'one' with the car. But the rack is very quick and accurate so you can point the car exactly where you want. The brakes cope fine with sporty driving and don't fade. A bit more bite initially could make it more responsive but that will reduce its usability day to day. A good balance. The suspension does well on both good and bad roads. The suspension soaks up bumps through the slow corners but oddly copes less well when going faster, say 100km/h or more. You feel this also when the car is on the highway. A bit bumpy but nothing major. On the forums and in reviews, this car has been butchered for 'not being a proper M car' and having 'too many M badges'. But at the end of the day, it does exactly what it was designed to do. Offer genuine day to day usability and comfort with 8-9/10ths of the exhilaration of an M car. What a car. Test drive one but preferably for 3 or 4 hours. Find a good road. Make sure the tyres are warm-ish. Enjoy :)