BMW M240i 2016 Review

BMW 1 Series hatch and 2 Series Coupe and Convertible
Australian Launch
Albury, NSW

With the buzz still surrounding BMW’s new flagship M2 Coupe in Australia – including its recent win in Australia’s Best Driver’s Car – the German marque has updated the rest of the 1 and 2 Series family for 2017. Redesigned engines, added standard equipment and revised pricing headline the mid-life upgrade, changes that are set to put BMW in good stead against its Mercedes-Benz and Audi rivals. In the case of the newly coined M140i and M240i, BMW even dares to encroach on the M2’s performance territory for thousands of dollars less.  

Competition improves the breed, so the saying goes, and at BMW it is in-house competition that appears to be causing quite the stir.

The Bavarian car-maker has just released its newly reworked 1 Series five-door and 2 Series two-door range in Australian showrooms. The entire hatch, coupe and convertible family sports new technology, increased value and more power from a range of upgraded three-, four- and six-cylinder engines.

A wide-reaching demographic is drawn towards BMW’s smallest passenger cars for varying reasons in Australia. But, not surprisingly, it was the performance models that drew most attention during the car’s national launch in Victoria this week.

The M140i hatch and corresponding M240i coupe and convertible are each subject to a $2300 price reduction, offer more power courtesy of a redesigned engine and are fitted with new technology, including BMW’s much-touted iDrive 5 software.

It begs the question: has the German car-maker muddied the appeal of its better-known M2 Coupe – its more expensive, highly sought-after performance flagship – with the latest upgrades?

We’ll get to the comparisons in a moment. First though: the details of this life-cycle update. We’ve covered much of the specification talk in our previous price and equipment stories on the 1 Series and 2 Series.

In a nutshell, pricing for the 1 Series range starts unchanged at $36,900 plus on-road costs for the three-cylinder 118i. The coupe range starts at $51,300 plus ORCs for the four-cylinder 220i (up $2400), bringing a circa $10,000 premium over the equivalent hatch, while the convertible range starts at $58,300 plus ORCs for the 220i -- a $2400 increase. BMW has justified the price increase with additional standard equipment.

On that note, all models now feature a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, automatic climate-control, satellite-navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and a suite of new connected functions, including the ability to remotely find your vehicle in a car park. Safety comprises full airbag coverage, and myriad electronic driver aids – but not autonomous emergency braking availability.

The design of the 1 Series and 2 Series remains unchanged, aligning with a smart but understated appeal that is slightly elevated on higher-spec models with more aggressive wheel designs. Interiors are also unchanged, with BMW persisting with its button-laden and largely-analogue dashboard design. Yes, this update is all about what’s underneath the skin.

BMW anticipates its 125i four-cylinder to maintain bulk popularity – and for good reason.  Of the three engines we sample, the 125i happily fulfils the role of all-rounder: an efficient, user-friendly yet formidable device on the open road, with a rich and useable torque curve that segues into a light and breezy top-end.

Its 165kW and 310Nm outputs enable a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds, a figure that is helped generously by the quick-peddling eight-speed transmission.

What the 125i lacks in low-down grunt is happily facilitated by the next engine in the pecking order, the 230i, available on the coupe and convertible. Altered tuning in the 30i’s four-cylinder helps it to better transition out of corners and during uphill descent with its additional 20kW and 40Nm over the 125i, doing so without any detriment to fuel economy (unchanged at 5.9L/100km combined).

If you were to describe the four-cylinder range as spritely, the flagship inline turbocharged six-cylinder in the M240i is properly quick. Fitted with the newly developed B58 engine – offering a shorter intake manifold, smaller but more efficient turbocharger and integrated intake manifold intercooler over the N55 engine that it replaces – the six-cylinder is a venerable powerhouse on the road.

In fact, its transition from placid cruiser to track reveller courtesy of different driving modes is quite outstanding.

Acceleration is prodigious from a standstill, with linear and controllable progress to its 4.6-second 100km/h claim. In fact, it isn’t long before we begin making direct comparisons with the M2, whose acceleration claim is just 0.3 seconds faster. There’s a similarly engaging and communicative driveline at play, one that never feels flustered or underdone.

Like the M2, the 140i/240i transition nicely out of tight corners, offer useable power during acceleration and overtaking manoeuvres and belt out a cracking straight-six tune while doing so. Stringing the redesigned six-cylinder together is a carry-over eight-speed auto with (thankfully) the no-cost option of a deftly-weighted six-speed manual – the latter replete with a rev-matching function during downshifts.

The 140i/240i muster their speed without the pomp and ceremony as the M2, missing out on its synthetically enhanced soundtrack, its stronger brakes and Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber. Neither can mimic the M2’s consummate mechanical grip, either – at least not with the electronic differential lock fitted as standard.

BMW does offer a locally-fitted mechanical limited-slip differential for a princely $5390 sum. Given our experience on the previous M135i/M235i offerings, consider the optional diff a pre-requisite for the track; it really transforms the driving experience.

Irrespective of model, BMW’s smallest family is impressively honed from a dynamic perspective. There is an inherent sporty bias, with a ride that feels firm but avoids crashing over harsh bumps, and excellent steering that shines in feedback and precision. Body control is admirable, too, helping the car maintain its fluid front-rear balance.

On at-times broken and greasy surfaces, the 1 and 2 Series’ grip and communication levels saw its acutely-tuned electronic nannies seldom provoked. When they were, the intervention was progressive and unobtrusive, aiding progress.

Road noise is nothing to write home about, with a noticeable tyre roar on coarse-chip surfaces. But the car’s low-slung seating, comfortable and well-padded chairs and excellent visibility and storage are all major pluses.

The 1/2 Series tick most boxes in a packaging sense but, mostly as a consequence of their 4.3/4.4-metre long proportions, won’t strike a chord with everyone. Rear seat space is best for occasional use (at least in terms of adults), while the limited boot dimension are good for one large suitcase rather than two. The hatch offers some modicum of practicality, though; so much so that BMW Australia is now pursuing the case for an equivalent sedan.

Elsewhere, there’s no digital speedometer, and BMW’s in-house specification team have done themselves a disservice by choosing to make newly-equipped Apple CarPlay a $479 option – a questionable decision given the same software is now available in $15,000 city-cars. As for Android Auto, BMW says it is in the pipeline for future models.

The biggest change in terms of connectivity and software comes with the adoption of BMW’s new iDrive 5 software. The new configuration is more app-centric than previous iterations. Six ‘tiles’ are spread across the landscape-oriented top colour screen, similar to what they would be on your phone. There are also some minor tweaks to the switchgear around the centrally-mounted controller, small revisions in an otherwise unchanged cabin layout.

As before, the 1 Series and 2 Series are marketed on the driving experience – a point reflected by the focus of these latest changes. In all, the revisions have helped mature BMW’s most diminutive series – ensuring the company keeps rival car-makers and its own engineers on their toes at the same time.

2017 BMW 1 Series pricing and specifications:
Price: $38,900 (118i), $40,300 (118d), $41,990 (120i), $48,990 (125i), $64,900 (M140i) plus on-road costs
Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 100kW/220Nm, 135kW/270Nm, 165kW/310Nm, 250kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 4.8L/100km, 5.8L/100km, 5.9L/100km, 7.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)

2017 BMW 2 Series Coupe pricing and specifications:
Price: $51,300 (220i), $61,900 (230i), $74,900 (M240i) plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/270Nm, 185kW/350Nm, 250kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.8L/100km, 5.9L/100km , 7.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)

2017 BMW 2 Series Convertible pricing and specifications:
Price: $58,300 (220i), $71,900 (230i), $83,900 (M240i) plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/270Nm, 185kW/350Nm, 250kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.1L/100km, 6.2L/100km , 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)