Until the M2 G87 debuts in October, the M240i is the temporary king of the hill. Depending on where it’s sold, the M Performance coupe has either 369 horsepower as it’s the case in Europe or 382 hp for the car available in the United States. Over in Australia, people buying the M Lite 2er get the more powerful configuration thanks to the lesser emissions regulations compared to those in the European Union.

Aussie publication Performance Drive spent some time with a Thundernight Metallic example equipped with xDrive. As a side note, BMW recently started production of a slightly more affordable and slower rear-wheel-drive M240i. The AWD setup came in handy that day on a damp and twisty road before the car was subjected to a few straight-line runs under hard acceleration.

It might not be a real M car, but the sound and performance delivered by the B58 engine are pretty solid. Whether it’s in-gear acceleration or from a standstill, the turbocharged straight-six pulls strongly in a car that isn’t necessarily light. It’s especially true for the xDrive model, but you can go for the RWD model and shave off 55 kilograms (121 pounds).

The acceleration tests conducted by Performance Drive revealed a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 4.26 seconds. We’ve seen better results, but it’s still below the 4.3-second time quoted by BMW. Without the launch control turned on, the M240i needed 4.67 seconds to complete the task. The Australian magazine also subjected the speedy coupe to a 0-124 mph (0-200 km/h) sprint, which took 14.7 seconds.

The AWD-equipped machine completed the quarter mile in 12.41 seconds at a trap speed of 115.6 mph (186.2 km/h). Perhaps the most relevant acceleration test of all was the run from 37 to 68 mph (60 to 110 km/h) since overtaking maneuvers are usually done within this speed range. The compact BMW needed just under three seconds to get the job done.

BMW M’s last non-hybrid car, the M2, won’t necessarily be a lot faster since it’ll come only with rear-wheel drive. It will be the only way to get a clutch pedal in the 2 Series Coupe as all the others come exclusively with an automatic, including the M240i featured here.

Source: PDriveTV / YouTube