[TEST DRIVE] BMW shows its sporty side with new M240i xDrive coupe

The BMW 2 Series has long been a popular choice for a wide range of drivers thanks to its convenient size and good driving dynamics. But for those who want a more sporty vibe, BMW now offers the M240i xDrive.

BMW's M240i xDrive coupe [BMW KOREA]

YEONGJONG ISLAND, Incheon — The BMW 2 Series has long been a popular choice for a wide range of drivers thanks to its convenient size and good driving dynamics. But for those who want a more sporty vibe, BMW now offers the M240i xDrive.

The M240i is the smallest sporty coupe from the German carmaker. It falls under BMW’s M brand, which stands for motorsports and boasts a high-performance and fun driving experience.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently test drove a purple M240i on a 110-kilometer (68-mile) roundtrip from Seoul Station in central Seoul to Yeongjong Island, Incheon. The color, which the company describes as Thunderlight Metallic, was only available for the first 27 customers in Korea, with orders closing in one minute.

From the outside, the most notable feature of the M240i is the redesigned grille. The grille features vertically-arranged air flaps instead of classic bars, which gives a different look to other BMW cars. The new circular full-LED headlights are also very eye-catching.

Measuring 4,550 millimeters (180 inches) in length, 105 millimeters longer than the previous version, the front seats are spacious. However, the rear seats seem incredibly tight for adults, and getting in there is fairly uncomfortable since the car is a two-door coupe.

The interior is nearly identical to all other BMWs, with the standard infotainment touchscreen and center console.

Interior of the M240i [BMW KOREA]

Taking the wheel, the aggressive purr of the six-cylinder engine made this reporter feel like she was driving a sports car. Equipped with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder gasoline engine, the vehicle generates a maximum of 387 horsepower, with 51 kilograms-meter of torque.

The speed was satisfying when I finally got to the open highway. The acceleration was incredibly smooth and soft, making the 140 kilometers per hour visible on the speedometer quite a shock.

The M240i only takes 4.3 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour from a standstill.

The navigation system was acceptable compared to cars from other imported brands. The head-up display is also available, though the guidance was not that sophisticated, leading to two wrong turns during the two-hour test drive.

The vehicle comes with a reasonable fuel efficiency of 9.6 kilometers to the liter despite the high performance. When only driving the car on the highway, it increases to 12 kilometers to the liter. During my time with the car, I averaged a very respectable 9.9 kilometers to the liter.

The trunk capacity stands at 390 liters, and the rear seats can also be folded down.

The sticker price starts at 69.2 million won ($52,200).

BMW sold 5,490 vehicles in Korea in July, beating Mercedes-Benz and becoming the No. 1 imported brand by the number of units sold.

The back of the M240i [BMW KOREA]

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]