00:00 [MUSIC]
00:07 Give you a little drift demonstration.
00:09 [LAUGH]
00:11 [MUSIC]
00:21 [SOUND]
00:31 Just what should we expect from the M235i?
00:34 Let's start with the name.
00:37 The 2 Series essentially replaces the 1 Series.
00:42 It's slightly bigger and certainly more attractive,
00:45 and the M235i is the most powerful one you can get.
00:49 But what about that M part of its name
00:52 and the 16 badges throughout the car that repeat it?
00:56 Never mind what they imply, this isn't an M car.
01:00 Forgetting even the special tuning M cars normally have,
01:04 this engine is the same as what you get in the 3 and 4 Series,
01:08 though it's rated 20 horsepower higher,
01:10 and it has an open differential.
01:13 Despite the confused name, the M235i, though,
01:17 is a simple rear-drive two-door coupe with a powerful straight six.
01:22 [MUSIC]
01:29 Can this faux M car be a rekindling of the things that made BMW great?
01:35 [MUSIC]
01:47 We achieved the fastest acceleration without using launch control,
01:51 and at 4.4 seconds to 60 miles an hour and 13 seconds to the quarter mile,
01:56 the M235i is just two-tenths of a second behind the 1M.
02:01 Our best 60 to 0 stopping distance at 103 feet
02:05 is shorter than what we recorded from the 1M and any last generation M3.
02:11 The M235 posted a 24.9 second lap around the figure eight
02:16 and generated 0.97 G average around the skid pad,
02:20 putting it off the 1M's pace by a tenth of a second
02:23 and a hundredth of an average G, respectively.
02:27 Remember, this car is heavier than the 1M
02:29 and has less power in an open differential.
02:32 [MUSIC]
02:43 Versus the 1 Series, the 2 is 2.8 inches longer and 1.3 inches wider.
02:48 Its track is wider by 1.6 inches front and 1.7 inches rear.
02:53 These increases in size make for a much better looking car.
02:58 On the 1 Series, the proportions never looked quite right.
03:01 Here, the 2 makes great use of them, looking sporty without seeming overly aggressive.
03:07 Well-Tailored describes it well.
03:09 [MUSIC]
03:14 The M235i on the road.
03:17 Now, that's an interesting name, but we'll come back to why that's interesting in a little bit.
03:22 First, let's talk about how this drives,
03:24 which is probably the most important thing about this car.
03:27 No scratch that, it is the most important thing about this car,
03:29 because this is the least expensive, smallest, fun BMW you can buy.
03:35 [MUSIC]
03:39 It's fun. It's really fun.
03:41 [MUSIC]
03:44 It has a really nice balance in the chassis, a lot of power, good braking performance.
03:51 Pretty much everywhere throughout the road, it feels nicely controlled,
03:55 and it seems really fast, too.
03:59 [MUSIC]
04:06 It has a pretty stout amount of grip, thanks to these Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
04:12 They do need some heat in them, as we found out at the test track.
04:16 [TIRES SCREECHING]
04:18 But after you've been driving for a bit, they feel great.
04:20 You can carry some pretty good speed in.
04:23 [TIRES SCREECHING]
04:29 Overall, the whole package feels really nice.
04:31 There's pieces that help with that.
04:33 The transmission, this 8-speed automatic, is very good,
04:37 better than a lot of twin-clutch transmissions out there.
04:41 When I go hard on the brakes, it'll actually downshift into high RPMs,
04:46 anticipating your need to accelerate hard out.
04:50 [TIRES SCREECHING]
05:00 The tight ratio spacing is really nice, because this engine has a lot of power,
05:05 and a really healthy mid-range, about 3,500 RPM and on.
05:09 It's this really meaty punch this engine has,
05:13 and it feels really good just to keep the engine right there.
05:16 That said, you can let the engine scream all the way to its 7,000 RPM redline,
05:20 and it feels just as fun, too, if not a little bit more,
05:23 because that's where the horsepower peak is.
05:25 [TIRES SCREECHING]
05:28 Speaking of, 320 horse clang, but I wouldn't be surprised
05:33 if this was making that power at the rear tires.
05:36 This car feels very, very powerful, and it sounds really good, too.
05:42 You get that straight-six howl.
05:46 And if you have the windows down when you're cruising,
05:48 you can actually just faintly hear the turbocharger whooshing.
05:51 [TIRES SCREECHING]
05:56 Now, the parts that are confusing about the M235i--
06:00 well, it has an M badge in front of the name.
06:03 In fact, it has something like 17 M badges on the exterior of the car.
06:07 It's very proudly displaying the M name,
06:09 which is interesting because it's not an M car.
06:12 [ENGINE REVVING]
06:14 You can get the optional diff.
06:16 You can get an optional sports suspension.
06:18 You can get an optional braking upgrade.
06:20 And if this car is an M235i, why aren't those parts standard?
06:24 If you're going to use the M name, you should at least make the car have some M components.
06:30 So it's kind of confusing and a little bit frustrating,
06:33 but it's also meaningless because this is just a good-handling, good-driving car.
06:37 [ENGINE REVVING]
06:39 Now, let's give it to Randy Post.
06:41 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:44 [TIRES SCREECHING]
06:47 [TIRES SCREECHING]
06:50 [ENGINE REVVING]
06:52 Nice little drift.
06:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:57 Good mid-range torque from a 3-liter turbocharged 6.
07:02 It has, in my opinion, better top end than it used to.
07:06 It pulls all the way to 70.
07:08 It used to die at about 6,000 RPM.
07:10 And you know what?
07:11 Zero turbo lag.
07:13 [ENGINE REVVING]
07:16 The engine just feels more like a naturally aspirated 5-liter than a turbocharged 3-liter.
07:24 It's the sweetheart of an engine.
07:26 [ENGINE REVVING]
07:30 Pretty strong engine noise.
07:32 [ENGINE REVVING]
07:35 It's not exactly what I'm used to in a BMW 6, but I think I like it.
07:40 Right to the edge.
07:42 [ENGINE REVVING]
07:45 [TIRES SCREECHING]
07:48 You feel those soft shocks.
07:50 You see all the movement in the car as we bounce through the kink.
07:53 [TIRES SCREECHING]
07:55 It probably rides rather well on the street.
07:58 [TIRES SCREECHING]
08:01 [ENGINE REVVING]
08:03 Good steering response.
08:05 Big, fat steering wheel in my hand.
08:07 [ENGINE REVVING]
08:09 On power, all four wheels are working.
08:12 The 2 Series is balanced.
08:15 The dance partner follows my lead.
08:20 I'm liking it a lot.
08:23 [ENGINE REVVING]
08:25 It's got enough eminent to make it work here at Willow Springs.
08:29 [ENGINE REVVING]
08:33 And now, introducing the Ignition Hot Lap.
08:36 [ENGINE REVVING]
08:39 [TIRES SCREECHING]
08:42 [ENGINE REVVING]
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08:48 [ENGINE REVVING]
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09:03 [TIRES SCREECHING]
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09:12 [ENGINE REVVING]
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09:51 [TIRES SCREECHING]
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09:57 [TIRES SCREECHING]
10:00 [ENGINE REVVING]
10:03 [TIRES SCREECHING]
10:06 [ENGINE REVVING]
10:09 You might be hesitant about the M235i because of its name
10:13 and its open diff, but spend time behind the wheel,
10:16 experience its blend of power, balance, and grip,
10:19 and you'll quickly turn into a fan.
10:22 The M235i is one of the best driving BMWs
10:25 since the last generation M3 and 1M.
10:28 It's on par with those cars not only in performance standards,
10:32 but most importantly, in also how much it makes you smile.
10:36 By the way, I didn't realize how fast we were going right there.
10:42 That was like 100.
10:43 You've been going better.
10:45 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:49 Thank you, BMW.
10:50 Welcome back.
10:53 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:56 Thank you BMW, welcome back!
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