Quote:
Originally Posted by Bumpinjeep
OP, the 240 is a fine car but the M2C is another another level in literally every single aspect. So you have to keep that in mind when using the 240 as a baseline. It would be like comparing a V6 with a ZL1. This is what i wrote on the 240 forums, it really ruffled a bunch of feathers but in the end, the facts don't care about your feelings.
Two days ago i dropped off my M2C at the dealership for the dreaded airbag recall. I've had just about every loaner from BMW from X1/X2s to a 640GT. Surprisingly, I got a 2019 m240i Xdrive this time around. Thought I would share my experience.
The good: The car has a peppy little motor. In Sport +, the car burbles and pops a little, which surprised me a bit. The suspension is geared toward comfort over sport. It really was the first thing i noticed. My mother in law appreciated it. The car does tend to lean into corners but overall it isn't bad. The chassis is stiff and the car felt solid going over bumps. The ZF 8 speed is really good too. Shifts gears quickly, downshifts well and holds gears when up shifting. Definitely suites the car. A DCT would be too jerky for this type of car.
The not so bad: The interior, while overall isn't horrible, doesn't feel like a car in this price bracket. The seats, while supportive, don't hug you anywhere near like the M2C. Oddly enough, the M2C's seats are actually much more comfortable too. The interior on the M2C has alcantara and deviated stitching, as well as the new instrument gauges, which make a noticeable difference. In terms of straight line performance, compared to the M2C, it's probably closer to 50 or 60% of the sensation you feel when accelerating. I am guessing this is because the S55 has a ton of low end torque. It's not bad as the car is fairly zippy around town but not really comparable when off the line.
The ugly: The brakes. Coming from a M2C or really any other sports car, the brakes feel inadequate. There isn't enough initial bite and it makes modulating the pedal a guessing game until you become familiar with it.
I'm not a fan of the narrow body, it makes the car look too boring, like any other car rather than anything special. However, there is a plus in this, it makes parking a ton easier lol. I think it's totally odd looking at the side view mirrors and not seeing the huge fender flares.
The wheels, while have a decent design, are way too small & narrow. They don't fill the arches enough.
The Cliff Notes version: The m240i is a nice, fun little car that is designed for comfort over sport. The car is solid and zippy. The two cars are opposite ends of the spectrum, one is made for comfort that you can enjoy around town while the other is a little monster that is made for the track. I think the best BMW comparison would be a 430i & a M4 with ZCP.
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So an M240i is to an M2C, what a 335 HP V6 Camaro is to a 650 HP ZL1? You sure think rather highly of your M2. In a straight line, a stock M240i is within half a second of an M2C in the quarter. Over in Bow Tie Land, the low 11 second ZL1 will leave the upper 13 second V6 in the last county. And we all get it, it's not all about the straights; the M2C is much more capable on a road course than the M240i and yes it does look cooler. Just to touch on your subject of interior quality, I personally don't think the M2C has an interior worthy of a car that options out in the mid $60k's. Let's face it, it's no different than an M240i apart from some colored stitching and the M3/4 seats. And lastly, I think you totally missed OP's point. He's comparing the M2C and the ZL1, not the M2C and M240i. And to be brutally honest, the ZL1 crushes the M2C. The SS 1LE is a more fair comparison in outright performance numbers.