[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by Cumberlandjames

Not sure about the newer models with the B58 engine but doesn't the original N55 in the M235 have a forged crank and other modifications to make it more robust than other N55's. Also the suspension lowers and if very firm for excellent handling as well as much firmer steering in sport mode. Maybe some of the members with the newer 2 series that have owned or driven the original M235 can comment on differences.

Personally, I am pretty impressed with the performance of mine. I have the F23 and even with the extra weight of the X-drive and convertible, it's pretty damn fast and handles incredibly well.

This is why I am going with the M235. I plan to keep it for a long time and won't be putting a lot of miles on it. It will be our beach car as the X3 is our long hauler. A friend owns a German car only repair business and he has taken great care of my Bimmers. He advised me to go with the M235.The X3 has over 107K miles on it and runs like new.

[XutvJet]

M Performance essentially means "M Lite". You get 80%+ of the performance/rawness of a true M car.

An M235 is a great value if you're wanting to make a BMW more your own rather than pay the M entry fee and mod it and possibly risk making it a worse performing car.

It's REALLY easy to make a M235 a much better performing car. A few simple power mods and it's making more power than a N55 M2. Add wider front tires and a mechanical LSD and handling/grip improve significantly, and the M235 and M2 N55 become very close performers while the M235 remains a bit more refined. Still doesn't have the killer M2 looks, but some don't like the look.

[Moflow]

Classically, M cars were the high performance version of cars in the BMW lineup. Bmw now sticks an “M” in front of the name of the top NON-M model. That helps them sell better, since people recognize the M as “upmarket.”

But it’s also important to remember, it’s ALL marketing. BMW can call their models whatever they want. All that matters is that the car is good. “True M” doesn’t mean anything if the car is bad.

The M235i and the M240i are both great cars. That’s what matters, not whether some asshole on the internet consider them true M cars or not.

[Unicorn123]

OP, I think the last two posts sum it up very well.

The M235 / M240 are really good values for performance, agility, ability to modify properly and reliability, if properly driven and maintained. Honestly, they can call it a "BMW well rounded tiny coupe thing that you can put sacks of mulch in with the seats folded down" and I could care less. I bought it for what is does and what I can safely do with it with my limited driving ability, not what it is called.

Since I bought mine to be a daily driver and put 25-30K miles on per year in a state where potholes and frost heaves go when they die, it has been a joy to drive and essentially can do anything I want to do with it in terms of performance and precision placement on both primary and secondary roads, driving at the legal limit of course . If you like to drive with some level of practicality, it is a pretty hard package to beat for the price.

[Ericm235]

If you have ever driven an M235 on the track you will understand why. They are underdamped and under tyres and the brakes aren't really up to it. An M2 has better suspension settings and the necessary wider tyres to steady along with better oil circulation to avoid starvation.

[pmcmtnbkr]

I can say after 25 plus years of owning several honda civic si i fell hard for the m235i after driving an xdrive but was unwilling to give up a manual trans and didn't really want an xdrive to begin with. For me it came down to loving the M2 look and handling but wanting/needing something a little easier on the bottom line. BMW could have placed any designation on it and it wouldn't have changed my choice of car. well maybe if they called it a ugo i would have thought twice

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by Unicorn123

OP, I think the last two posts sum it up very well.

The M235 / M240 are really good values for performance, agility, ability to modify properly and reliability, if properly driven and maintained. Honestly, they can call it a "BMW well rounded tiny coupe thing that you can put sacks of mulch in with the seats folded down" and I could care less. I bought it for what is does and what I can safely do with it with my limited driving ability, not what it is called.

Since I bought mine to be a daily driver and put 25-30K miles on per year in a state where potholes and frost heaves go when they die, it has been a joy to drive and essentially can do anything I want to do with it in terms of performance and precision placement on both primary and secondary roads, driving at the legal limit of course . If you like to drive with some level of practicality, it is a pretty hard package to beat for the price.

My sentiments exactly. I owned a 228ix vert. I put in a CAI and a better sounding Magnaflow exhaust. It suited my driving style perfectly. I dont plan to do anything when I buy a M235. It will be better than a 228 and It will never see a track.

[ggggbmw]

Originally Posted by Liandri

I feel like its marketing and keeping in line with competition. EE60 gave a good rundown, but look at Audi and Mercedes 3 tier range. Example Audi has the A4/S4/RS4, and Mercedes has the C350/C43 AMG/C63 AMG. BMW has the 340i, M340i, and M3, or 230i/M240i/M2 to name a couple.

It is entirely a marketing thing. The whole reason the M235/M240 have the odd silver mirrors is that they are echoing the silver mirrors on the Audi S cars. (And the Audi's do a much nicer richer silver. BMW's are a poor imitation.)

As others have pointed out, the M235 might be more accurately a 235is. And the number of M badges is a bit much. But it does authentically have M 'power pack' (MPPK) bits like the forged crank. So some M references are not out of place.

I totally love my 'in between' M235. I think it's just the right amount of go fast bits for a car that spends 99% of it's time in comfort mode commuting, and can still present well on a track the other 1% of the time. And if I ever bought an Audi (god forbid), I'm sure it would be the middle S trim as well.