Now that the BMW M240i is finally out, it’s time for the new model to be subjected to the usual tests. One of them, and a very important one at that too, is the mandatory drag race against similar offerings on the market. The problem is, there aren’t that many left. With the BMW 2 Series keeping its rear-wheel drive architecture intact, it has very few rivals to deal with, especially if you consider the extra two seats in the back.
Otherwise, you could compare the BMW M240i to the Porsche Cayman, for example, but the latter is a lot less practical. Then, there are the usual all-wheel drive hatchbacks the M240i has to deal with, but they are not Coupe models. Furthermore, most are based on front-wheel drive platforms and have transversely-mounted engines under the hood. It’s the case of cars like the Audi S3 (which in the video below is showcased in sedan guise), Mercedes-AMG A35 (which can no longer be ordered in the US) and the Volkswagen Golf R, if you will.
Including the Golf R into the mix is a bit of a stretch, to be fair, because the Veedub is not a premium offering per say. However, most of its underpinnings are shared with the Audi S3 and considering the price difference, you might be looking at a bargain here. Don’t think the difference is huge between the two, but the Golf is cheaper and has more power. To be more precise, it has 315 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque delivered to all four wheels of the car, compared to the 306 horsepower of the S3. Torque is the same.
The BMW, on the other hand, has a bigger engine, more power (382 HP) and more torque (369 lb-ft). It is also about 350 lbs heavier than the other two cars, on average, which means it may have some work to do here. Or is it? Let’s find out!
