If there's a better driver's car than this in
BMW's line-up, then we haven't yet driven it. The BMW M235i is the replacement for the old 1-series coupe, using the same platform as the 3-series but with less wheelbase and track. Its slightly bigger than the outgoing BMW 1-series coupe and, a little disappointingly, has a similar kerb weight. The M235i is powered by a 322bhp 3. 0-litre turbo straight six that feeds an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic of fine manners and speedy obedience. Or you can have a six-speed manual. BMW's new 2-series shares its bonnet, front wings and doors with the three-door 1-series but gets all-new architecture elsewhere. That means the oddly dome-roofed look of the 1-series coupe, partly caused by its too-close-to-vertical rear screen, has gone. Its quietly handsome, and a subtlety of look might be a good thing, given the bounding scope of its go. The car's engineers will also tell you that alongside its new look, the 2-series has been engineered to give a better ride over bumps, something that dogged the M135i. to that end, the 2-series' springs are stiffer, as are the dampers, and the bump stops have been redesigned. More than that, there has been some subtle recalibrating of the chassis reactions to make far less of a meal of bumps and give the driver an easier time on the limit. In short, this M235i is the car that wed dreamed it would be, and wished the M135i coupe would really be too. Its not just the taming of puckered asphalt that does it, nor the BMW's deliciously predictable controllability, but the feedback that subtly comes at you, too. Subtly, because the overly thick steering wheel doesnt really provide a live streaming interface to the front wheels. Instead, it delivers precision and fine weighting thats of reassuringly greater heft in Sport mode, but not much of the grainy feel that youd expect as you stretch the Michelins tread with some g-force. On the track at least, there's a methodical sequence to getting the most out of the M235i. Left foot on brake, sink the throttle, 3000rpm, release the brake. The pause is short and the slight sideways jink satisfying to correct as the straight six spumes a fattening torrent of power. At 7250rpm, it momentarily abates before firing another thumping slug of torque at the differential. Same again into third as we marvel at the creamily resonant beat of a six that sounds as unflustered at 7250rpm as it does at 2250rpm. Make no mistake, this is a car that goes - and the noise it makes is conducive to making you want to drive faster. If 62mph is your target, it'll take just 4. 8sec from a standing start in the automatic model, thanks to the 322bhp and 332lb ft on offer from the turbocharged 3. 0-litre engine. Manual versions are slightly slower, taking 5. 0sec to complete the same benchmark sprint. You dont change your mind about the getting going when you reach the first bend, either. The M235is braking is confident and stable. A few paddle-shift flicks and were into fourth, the nose turning with a cleanly eager precision that challenges you to find the perfect line. Reapply the power and theres the easy balance of a car whose chassis is at one with itself; theres no understeering disobedience, no jiggle and squirm from the axles and enough weight in the steering to tempt you into higher speeds next time. And when the next bend turns choppy, this adaptively damped chassis has the absorbency to surf bumps without jerking your torso like an Alpine drag-lift. Whether it's the car for you or not depends on if you want to wait for the M4. If you can't wait until we've delivered our verdict on that, then rest assured that this is currently the most enjoyable, well balanced model in BMW's range. It's compact, easy to see out of, has comfortable, anchoring seats, is claimed to average 37. 2mpg and is also a very entertaining car for the 35,000 asking price.
