The automaker will begin building the car for Europe this summer.
We’ve been expecting a rear-drive variant of the BMW M240i for some time, and it looks like it’s almost here. BMW will begin producing the car for European markets this summer, and it shouldn’t take much longer than that to show up in the United States.
The RWD M240i will get the same 3.0-liter inline-six, making 374 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission, but a manual is expected for the upcoming M2, so BMW’s not ditching the row-your-own option for the 2 Series just yet. Cars equipped with the automatic get paddle shifters, including lower-level 2 Series models, which are a downright performance bargain.
BMW
BMW
Rear-wheel drive in a car as powerful as the M240i should be enough to make enthusiasts’ palms sweaty, even without a manual gearbox. BMW says the car can make the run from 0-62 mph in just 4.7 seconds, which is nearly half a second behind its all-wheel drive counterpart. It’s also worth noting that M240i xDrive regularly outperforms BMW’s acceleration estimates, so the rear-drive variant could be quicker than advertised.
The M240i xDrive went on sale in late 2021 and made its mark with near-perfect weight distribution and all-weather conquering all-wheel drive. The car is mighty quick, and while it’s far from a practical everyday driver, it’s more than capable of handling the daily needs of a single person.
BMW
BMW
BMW offers the 2 Series in two body styles in the United States, including a coupe and a gran coupe, though the latter’s days could be numbered. The gran coupe body style features a sloping roof and hatchback design and is offered as a 228i, 228i xDrive, and M235i xDrive. The 2er coupe currently comes in 230i and M240i xDrive options. The 2 Series is also offered in gran tourer spec in parts of Europe, which would be considered a compact minivan of sorts here in the States.
All-wheel drive tends to be more expensive and heavier, but it also helps get power to the ground, as evidenced by the xDrive variant’s quicker acceleration. The all-wheel drive variant costs $49,545 here in the US, including a $995 destination charge, so the rear-drive M240 will likely slide in under that amount.
