As the Disney sing-a-long song goes “It’s a Small World After All”.
That’s certainly the case with the official ‘starter’ Bimmer, the cute-as-a-puppy, four-door 2 Series Gran Coupe that’s just had a refresh taking it into its second-generation.
It really is mini in that it shares its chassis and greasy bits with the actually Mini. Which means an unusual – for a BMW – transverse-mounted engine and, hmm, front-wheel drive.
Just don’t confuse this 2 Series with the two-door, rear-drive 453 hp M2 coupe. Different beast altogether, and one of my absolute favorite ultimate driving machines.
Talking of driving, I’ve just spent a week behind the wheel of the fun ‘n feisty M235 xDrive Gran Coupe, $50,675 base, or $59,175 loaded with BMW M Sport paraphernalia.
That pricing is a little on the steep side considering that, for the same money, you can get into a bigger 330i ($47,125). Or for just a couple of grand more, enjoy the more thrilling M340i ($61,375).
This 2 Series Gran Coupe range itself kicks off with the front-drive 240-horse 228 Gran Coupe (from just $41,175) and 228 xDrive with all-wheel drive. There’s only the one 235 model, and that’s our M235 xDrive.
All 2 Series Gran Coupes come with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, though the M235 gets a decent power hike to 312 horseys and 295 torques. That’s enough to thrust it from zero to 60 mph in a swift 4.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 130 mph.
As for that Gran Coupe body, it’s very much a compact four-door sedan with a bit of a slopey back. The sedan connection means there’s a trunk lid rather than the tailgate you get with bigger Gran Coupe models.
See it on the street and it’s nothing too exciting as it lacks the now-defining ‘big kidney’ grille of, say, an i4. A must-have option is the illuminated grille which adds a bold ring of light.
But the M in front of the 235 means there’s plenty of M Sport design elements. Like big, air-gulping intakes and an extended air splitter up front, M Sport brakes behind cool-looking 19-inch rims, and an equally-aggressive-looking tail with with big air vents, a decklid spoiler and big quad exhaust tips.
Climb aboard and you don’t just sit in the cabin, you wear it.
Everything feels nicely compact, as a sports sedan should. Our tester came with the available M Sport front seats, which grip you like a hug from Shaq. Love the racey-red-colored inserts.
For this second-gen, the dash gets a configurable 10.3-inch digital instrument screen that flows into a 10.7-inch central infotainment display. Looks great and is easy to read. But I’m no fan of the climate controls now being on the screen, requiring more driver distraction.
In the back, kneeroom is on the tight side, and that sloping coupe-roof means taller passengers will need to duck to get in and out.
Now fire-up that turbo-4, engage ‘Drive’ with that new, super-stubby shifter, grip the wonderfully-chunky M Sport wheel and hit the gas.
The car feels deliciously rapid off the line, the little turbo-4 whooshing and barking with each shift of the new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
One party piece is the new M Sport Boost feature. Pull on the left-side paddle for more than a second, and it briefly puts the drivetrain and chassis modes into their sportiest settings.
Oh for a snaking, Tail-of-the-Dragon-style backroad here in Florida, as the Gran Coupe’s steering feels laser-precise and beautifully-weighted, the car changing direction like a spooked squirrel. Tons of grip too from the Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber.
The only downside is the brutal ride from the M Sport Adaptive Suspension. Hitting a pothole is a threat to dentalwork and eyeballs. The car should come with an audible warning “Brace, Brace” when any bump comes into view.
But with the ever-growing demise of compact four-door sedans, give a round of applause to this M235 Gran Coupe for the sheer small-package driving joy it delivers.
