For some time now, we’ve known that the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe will be front-wheel drive-based. While most models will be all-wheel drive, the basis of the drivetrain in the 2er GC will be front-wheel drive. This fact seems to upset a section of the fanbase but customers will love it, BMW will make loads of money and then more cool performance and electric cars will come from it. So stop moaning. But I digress. The upcoming performance version of the 2er GC will be the BMW M235i Gran Coupe and it’s just been caught at the ‘Ring. And it sounds pretty good.
Powering the BMW M235i Gran Coupe will be a turbocharged 2.0 liter four-pot making about 300 hp. It will be paired with an automatic gearbox and have all-wheel drive. So it should be quick. No one is doubting its performance. However, where some enthusiasts do have their doubts is with its excitement and dynamics. We get a taste of the former at the beginning of this video, where we hear the M235i start, and its exhaust bark, while refueling. Obviously, it’s not going to be the sonorous song of a BMW I6 but it sounds angry and aggressive enough to be fun.
We also get to see it handle at the Nurburgring, where every manufacturer tests their performance (and non-performance) cars. While understeer is going to be present, as it’s a front-bias all-wheel drive car, it doesn’t seem too bad. Sure, you can spot it at first but it seems as if the all-wheel drive system and clever electronics do their best to reign it in. Going into the corner, you see a bit of understeer from the BMW M235i but then you see the front end bite and the all-wheel drive grip power it through. So there’s a bit of understeer but it seems to be mitigated quick enough.
The BMW M235i Gran Coupe won’t be the last word in driving engagement or purity. As a small, front-bias, all-wheel drive sedan with a turbo four-pot, it’s just never going to be. However, if you can put delusions about driving such a car at 10/10ths on track out of your mind and just drive it like a normal human, we’re sure it’s going to be a fun little daily driver to own.
