The sound of the engine scorching past 3500 RPM.
The support of the seat across the back of your shoulders.
The compulsive propulsion of the car in Sport mode.
The sparkling liquidity of the blue finish against the black top.
The tight feeling of a well-made, lightweight BMW on the road.
These are the things that stood out to us about driving the 2016 BMW M235i around Raleigh this week.
It’s a four-seat, convertible-top sports car, and the 2-Series is being spoken of as the most driver-focused in BMW’s lineup.
The reason? The weight. The 2-Series is shorter, lighter, and has a smaller body than the 3-Series. Sure, the back seat is a bit more snug than the 3’s, but the reduction in body mass and weight is worth the trade-off.
To be clear, this was the M235i, a sportier version than the standard 228i, but not quite as full throttle as the M2.
So what did we do in our afternoon with the M235i? And what’s the difference between the 228i and the M235i? Let’s find out.
Difference between 228i and M235i
Eighty horsepower. That’s difference number one. The M235i gets you from zero to 60 in less than five seconds vs. almost six in the 228i, so the M is faster.
One-hundred and forty pounds. That’s difference number two. The 228i is significantly lighter than the M235i, which will make it feel more agile. That difference is largely owing to the smaller engine in the 228i.
Three more miles to the gallon. That’s what you get with the 228i, city or highway, compared to the M235i. But then again, if you’re fuel conscious, why are you driving a BMW convertible?
This is about the sun on your face! The wind in your hair! The surge in speed as you switch to Sport mode and cross four lanes.
The M235i also comes with the adaptive M suspension and M sport brakes that make your grip on the road tighter and your ability stop sharper. Toss in the cosmetic bits here and there that let people know you have an M, and it’s clear which vehicle would be more fun.
So what’s it like to drive the M235i?
It kind of felt like being a rich person, actually. The convertible we drove was a shade of blue that BMW probably spent untold amounts of money developing. We drove around in the middle of the day getting coffee and looking at houses and maybe even an ice cream cone because we imagine that’s what you get to do if you can afford to drive something like this.
At an ice cream shop on Glenwood called Fresh, there was a trio of girls hanging out, one of whom had a sweatshirt with “#Strength” printed on the back. A small detail, sure, but a symbol of our culture, how women are encouraged to believe in their own strength and achieve great things.
The house we looked at was a charming renovation of a 1970s one-story with a new foundation, roof, and landscaped backyard, the whole thing going for $395,000. We could imagine this girl buying the house one day, parking her BMW convertible in the driveway, and celebrating the hard work that got her there.
A cup of Counter-Culture coffee at Sola coffee house up on Lead Mine Road placed us on the patio outdoors. A man met with his father to talk about life. Two women talked about choreographing a production for their non-profit and the dates they’ve been on. A young couple studied on laptops in a corner, textbooks covering their table.
These snapshots show just a few people engaged in daily life on a gorgeous spring day. What better way to augment that than with a beautiful BMW convertible? Is a cup of instant coffee just as real as a cup of freshly roasted and ground Counter-Culture coffee? Yes, but no. No, no, no.
Cars are cars in that they all have four wheels and an engine. But there’s something about the care and excellence that goes into a well-made car just as there is something excellent about coffee by people who know what they’re doing and are passionate about the results. It’s something that can’t be replicated in a freeze-dried container of coffee dust designed to sit on a shelf for months in a Wal-Mart.
That’s what the M235i brings to driving. It’s an exquisite pleasure–a luxury, really–and one so sweet as to be enjoyed with your heart more than your head. If you are looking for a new BMW, we recommend.