M235i

"djmanila" (djmanila)
02/24/2014 at 10:58 • Filed to: BMW, M235i

I would say it as other than the M3 (I can't afford that one) this is one of the most exciting BMWs yet. The driving dynamics of the 2-series added with 320 hp and 330 lb/ft of torque is the perfect combination. Think of it as an E46 M3 with more torque and power.

The handling is signature BMW. I could argue that some of the steering feel is lost with the electric assisted steering but once the turns come it is still mountains of fun. The sound of the exhaust is phenomenal especially under Sport+ mode.

The only thing I dislike out of the whole package is the wheels. I would immediately change that if I was to get one (which I am very tempted and it is just hard to justify).

I definitely recommend trying this car out if you are thinking of a CLA or an S3. There is talks of actually having a legitimate M2 in the future however BMW would be hard pressed to make it slower than the M3/M4 given that the 2-series platform is smaller.

Fun Fact: I also sold/delivered what seems like the first M235i in the US last Saturday.

DISCUSSION (51)

Brian Silvestro > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:00

"Fun Fact: I also sold/delivered what seems like the first M235i in the US last Saturday."

Famous as fuck!

Arben72 > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:00

They look so good, really considering the m2 once (and if) it comes out.

case-sensitive > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:00

Needs more 3rd pedal.

Grindintosecond > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:01

So....its a bigger 1m? :)

djmanila > Brian Silvestro
02/24/2014 at 11:06

Haha. It posted on Bimmerpost and blew up the interwebs

heliochrome85 > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:07

I don't care for the rear end. Nor do I care for the weight as it is as heavy as the bigger 3. I genuinely don't understand the point of this car. It's basically a 235i with the msport pack. If they made one. Which they don't.

djmanila > Grindintosecond
02/24/2014 at 11:08

I would actually say not much bigger and the 1M is a more raw machine with the M3 suspension and wider track.

I think it is a more affordable version of a fast BMW with the perfect balance. Less expensive than a 335i or 435i and more power and performance.

djmanila > case-sensitive
02/24/2014 at 11:10

I would say the same but having driven the Sport Automatic and the DCT transmissions I would say it is equally as fun on the road and the track.

djmanila > case-sensitive
02/24/2014 at 11:10

got Kinja'd

Brian Silvestro > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:11

I imagine you're some kind of religious figure there now.

Bad Idea Hat > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:13

I saw a 2 series this past weekend. Eric the Half-a-Bee came into my head.

Still trying to figure that one out.

ddavidn > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:15

How much does this badass little machine cost? I'm too lazy to use my google-fu so early in the morning...

djmanila > heliochrome85
02/24/2014 at 11:21

It is about 50 lbs lighter than the 335i. The point of the car is to have a successor to the 135is or the 135 in general and for the US to have it's own version of the M135i.

BMW has been making similar cars since the beginning, from the E30 M325i, E46 ZHP, and the E92 335is. It is basically something in between the halo M car and its regular counterpart and they make it with limited supply.

philipilihp > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:22

I want one. I need to take my E90 in for service this week so I'm definitely stopping by the showroom and asking for a drive.

Also, thanks to JonathonW8's twitter I found out that I, too, did not win the Jalopnik 2-series contest. *sigh*

djmanila > ddavidn
02/24/2014 at 11:22

this one as it sits is about $48k

ddavidn > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:23

I'll take three.

djmanila > Brian Silvestro
02/24/2014 at 11:23

the owner is, he's had like 50,000 questions. I am just a lurker as I have older BMWs that are almost relics in the forums.

Brian Silvestro > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:26

Oh god he's probably overwhelmed. It's all your fault!

awe46m3zcp > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:29

Do you think the 8spd auto can handle trackdays? I'm thinking by the time you get wider wheels, and the LSD might as well get get a base M3 or M4.

911e46z06 > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:29

It may be good. I haven't driven one, so I can't offer any insight there. I can, however, guarantee that it is nothing like an e46 M3.

djmanila > awe46m3zcp
02/24/2014 at 11:41

The price is still a significant difference. Obviously the M3 and M4 have more power and more fun.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 11:43

Are those the "sports seats"? They don't look particularly bolstered but maybe it's just the angle. I really really hope that BMW isn't selling a car with an M badge on it (albeit not a "real" M car, I know) with sports seats being optional.

djmanila > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
02/24/2014 at 11:53

They are the Sport Seats, it has great bolstering although not very aggressive to fit driver's in different widths

Elliot > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 12:13

I want to like it I really do. I just don't believe that they won't release a "real" M2 at some point in the future.

djmanila > Elliot
02/24/2014 at 12:46

maybe not in the near future as they would want to milk the M235i as much as they can.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 13:01

Is it actually a good exhaust note or is it that bogus synthesised noise in the M135i?

I'm not a BMW fan, but I do have respect for them. Things like that work to reduce that respect.

alexotics > Brian Silvestro
02/24/2014 at 13:04

Hey Brian, have there been any 135i owner reviews/impressions of the M235i? I drove a 135iM for 12 months and grew to love everything about it. When I drove the new F30 335i I was disappointed with the dampened driver feel, more noise than power, cheap interior materials, and numb steering. I was however impressed by the new M6 when I spent a day in it in Germany over the summer. Controls were more intuitive, materials were nice, the car felt special, and it drove like a hot rod.

Basically what I'm looking for in the M235i is a bit more of a connected feeling. A bit more of a raw experience that harps back to the 135i and 1M Coupe. Not an experience that mimicks the 335i/435i.

alexotics > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 13:06

Have there been any 135i owner reviews/impressions of the M235i? I drove a 135iM for 12 months and grew to love everything about it. When I drove the new F30 335i I was disappointed with the dampened driver feel, more noise than power, cheap interior materials, and numb steering. I was however impressed by the new M6 when I spent a day in it in Germany over the summer. Controls were more intuitive, materials were nice, the car felt special, and it drove like a hot rod.

djmanila > alexotics
02/24/2014 at 13:09

I have driven the 135is and the 335is, I have not driven the 1M itself. In my opinion the M235i has closer feel the the ones I mentioned than the current 3 or 4 series.

Brian Silvestro > alexotics
02/24/2014 at 13:15

This is an interesting question. Like in the new F30, the M235i has electric steering rather than the better feeling hydraulic system in the 135 and M6. The 2 series and the F30 share a lot of stuff, but I haven't heard bad things so far. The only downside to the M235i is the steering it seems.

Burrito de EJ25 > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 13:40

I could never justify paying $45,000 for one of these. I know they're not immediately comparable, but this thing is about $5k less than a Corvette.

Now, I personally would rather sit in a BMW than the retiree special (no offense), but that would just sit in the back of my head. The fact that for $5k more you could get a car with more power, and very likely better overall performance. And it's not like the the Corvette is rocking Chevy Colbalt interiors like they used to.

I think the Germans are getting a little bit crazy.

Elliot > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 14:09

That is certainly true. BMW doesn't seem to mind having 500 different cars for sale at one time though.

alexotics > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 14:30

Nice to hear! Were you similarly dissapointed as me when you drove any of the F30 variants from an enthusiast's point of view.

I completely forgot about the 335is for a second. Two friends of mine had a 335i Coupe, one black and one red (surprise: red looks stunning on the 335is), and they probably were the best blend of performance, usability, and all around perfection haha. The 135i was a bit small at times and the M3 a bit much.

djmanila > Burrito de EJ25
02/24/2014 at 14:32

I agree with your point but I am sure they are aware that they are targeted for different demographics.

Same argument would go as to why you would spend more money on a 435i or an extreme example a Porsche Cayman than a Corvette.

djmanila > alexotics
02/24/2014 at 14:34

I was not a fan of the F30, actually the one I enjoyed driving was the only ZMT optioned 320i we had.

djmanila > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
02/24/2014 at 14:37

I had mixed emotions with the synthesized noise in the beginning. With the M235i it sounds awesome outside (organic noise) as it does inside (possibly syntesized noise)

The biggest issue is that most buyers of the M cars don't care much about it. They want the best of both worlds, an insulated luxury car when needed and a performance machine too. BMW has always funneled some kind of sound to the interior. However with the insulation and creature comforts of the newer car I assume they found it necessary to amplify the sounds.

Manuél Ferrari > heliochrome85
02/24/2014 at 14:39

I like how it looks. But I was also disappointed by the weight. This car should be at least 250 pounds lighter than the 4 Series coupe.

Why do you think it's so heavy? Less aluminum used than in the 3/4 Series?

Manuél Ferrari > 911e46z06
02/24/2014 at 14:41

Agree. It might have more torque but it doesn't have high-revving N/A power.

alexotics > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 14:53

Good man!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 16:06

All very true.

I guess what I want doesn't really sync up that well with what a modern buyer seems to want, which is practically cliche here :)

I don't mind a hole piped through the bulkhead to transmit noise into the cabin, and a valve to close it off. I don't understand why they had to fake it. If Maserati can make the Ghibli sound as good as it does, I don't see why BMW can't as well.

heliochrome85 > Manuél Ferrari
02/24/2014 at 16:31

Agreed. Probably. I just don't like the idea of it being as fat as the larger 3/4.

Manuél Ferrari > heliochrome85
02/24/2014 at 17:39

If they make a true M car out of the 2 series then they would need to use more aluminum and some carbon fiber panels to reduce weight.

I would gladly pay the same price for an M2 as an M4 if it had the same engine and was lighter. I don't need a coupe version of the M to have a lot or rear leg room. That's what my E90 M3 is for...

4 doors are always better for passengers. Coupes should be smaller, lighter and more nimble. If the occasional rear passengers don't like the leg room they can pass on going for a ride and drive their own damn car.

heliochrome85 > Manuél Ferrari
02/24/2014 at 17:43

I dont disagree. I just think this car has been WAY OVER HYPED. When I see one, I see a smaller 3, that is just as fat, and just as fast. how is this not the MSport version of the 235i? The M235i has extremely mild engine improvements, that do not seem to justify the cost, nor the hype.

heliochrome85 > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 17:45

Kinja'd!!!

I spy SUPER COOL ///M Fender Badges. this is supremely disappointing and only further solidifies that this car is a poseur special.

Manuél Ferrari > heliochrome85
02/24/2014 at 17:47

I think it's been over hyped too.

When I first learned about it I was very excited.

But then I learned of the weight. You're right it's just as fat as the 3/4.

Burrito de EJ25 > djmanila
02/24/2014 at 21:35

I fully understand that. I just can't get around that feeling of being ripped off.

djmanila > heliochrome85
02/25/2014 at 15:09

BMW is trying to create a part of the M-Performance segment. Different from M halo cars.

Again, similar to what they did with the E30 M325i, ZHP E46, M-Tech E39 which all had M/// badges granted it was not on the fender.

djmanila > Burrito de EJ25
02/25/2014 at 15:10

Feeling ripped of is only to that certain individual. For some that are fanatics of a certain brand such a car is a value for performance.

Burrito de EJ25 > djmanila
02/25/2014 at 23:24

...Yes. I was talking about myself. I thought that was clear.

djmanila > Burrito de EJ25
02/26/2014 at 11:28

I agreed :)

HijoDePuta > Burrito de EJ25
02/28/2014 at 04:11

Just wait about 4 years, and pick one up for a decent price. Let some other sucker eat the depreciation. I think that the new 2 and 4 series cars will add some confusion for what I would call a "casual" buyer of a used BMW, meaning someone who wants a car with BMW on it, but really does not know much about them. I have a neighbor who is exactly this type of person. He was telling me about his CPO BMW that he bought, and I asked which model he got. His answer was "A 3 series". He did not know if it was a 328, 335, etc. I asked if it was an F30 or an E90, and he got a blank look, and said "No. It's a 3 Series". I spotted it in the parking garage, and it was an E90 335i. He had no clue. I run into a lot of people like that. I have even seen them on the BMW Forums.
My point is that people like this are going to hurt the resale value of the 2 and 4 series, because all they know is 3 Series = Small, 5 Series = Medium, and 7 Series = Large. They will not know what a 2 or 4 series is, they don't read Automotive magazines or news sites, and they will stick with what they know - the 3 series. They will have some irrational fear of buying the first year of a new model. Only people who know BMW's will seek out the 2 and 4 Series models to buy as a used car, and that will help push resale values down.
Of course, I am pulling some of this out of my ass because that's the way I want it to work out, so I can get a deal in a few years when I decide to make my e46 into a Garage Queen, and wait for the prices to climb as it becomes an antique. I also have a policy of never, never buying a new car, because the thought of a depreciation hit just pisses me off. I would be too pissed about that to enjoy the thrill of a brand new car, no matter what brand.