2017 BMW M240i and 230i
Coupes/Convertibles
BMW is refreshing its North American
2-Series range for 2017 with the new and more powerful M240i and 230i Coupes
and Convertibles, while Europe and other international markets are also getting
the M140i hatch.
The M140i and M240i models make use of a
new 3.0-liter straight-six featuring the latest TwinPower Turbo technology to
gain 15 hp and 53 Nm over the previous M235i and M135i cars,
delivering 335 hp and 500 Nm of peak torque. The new engine
helps the 2017 models trim their 0-100 km/h time by up to 0.3 seconds
while also lowering their fuel consumption by as much as 7 percent.
Among other improvements made to the new
straight-six are a new coolant pump that operates only as necessary and a
map-controlled oil pump, while the cars get a stop/start system and brake
energy regeneration technology too.
The rear-wheel drive M140i 3-door and
5-door complete the dash from 0 to 100
km/h in 4.8 seconds with the standard six-speed manual, or 4.6 seconds
with the optional eight-speed automatic, while their xDrive siblings that come
with a standard 8-speed auto, do the same in 4.4 seconds. All these figures
represent a 0.3 second improvement over the previous models. The M240i Coupe powers from 0 to 100
km/h in 4.8 seconds (automatic: 4.6 seconds) – or 4.4 seconds in
all-wheel-drive guise, an improvement of 0.2 seconds
in both cases.
BMW highlights the fact that the M240i
and M140i offer the same output and performance levels as the 2011-2012 1
Series M Coupe. What it doesn’t say is just how close they come to the new
365 hp M2 Coupe that hits 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds with a manual
and 4.3 seconds with the automatic, which makes us wonder if a power boost is
in the horizon for the next model year.
Further improvements were made to the M
Performance models six-speed manual gearbox that now features a rev matching
function. The newer 8-speed automatic gets a wider gear spread for better
internal efficiency while also allowing multiple downshifts at a time.
Automatic models are equipped with a new Launch Control function that offers
predictive shift strategy by working in conjunction with the GPS to deliver the
best traction on different surfaces.
The M240i and 230i models will go on
sale in the USA this summer with prices to be announced closer to their launch
date.
