THE M240i xDRIVE IS NOT A TRACKDAY car. It's not even a full-blown M division car. The cynical might call it a marketing exercise. However, just a couple of laps of Bedford Autodrome shatter that notion and ram home a growing realisation that nothing seems outside the comfort zone of this remarkably complete coupe.
Stranger still is that I'd spent the rest of that day - battling pelting rain, drizzle and finally a bit of sunshine - in an M4 CSL. The new hardcore road racer had scrapped with our ravaged tarmac for hours and even on track it didn't seem to have the grip and traction to make the most of its lunatic engine. Jumping into the M240i was a breath of fresh air. Composed, balanced and still sharp enough to feel right at home, it made the M4 CSL feel ragged and a bit silly.
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Evo UK.
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This story is from the May 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
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