2014 Detroit: The new 2015 BMW M235i is your mini-me M3

Story and photos by John LeBlanc DETROIT — You’ve probably already seen images of the new, 2015 BMW 2 Series splashed all over the Interweb. But the successor to the 2007 to 2013 1 Series Coupe is making it’s official “car show” debut here in Detroit. And within minutes of the German brand’s media presentation, memories of BMW’s legendary 2002 sports compact were being floated about. As per the 1 Series, the newly named 2 is a two-door, three-box, rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe with room for passengers upfront and two smaller passengers in the back. And with the outgoing 3 series Coupe growing in size and getting a new name (now the 4 series), the 2 Series is being counted on as one of the few remaining cars from the German automaker unapologetically targeted at driving enthusiasts. The base model BMW 228i Coupé comes with a 245 horsepower version of the brand’s 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine. I’m sure it will be a nice car. But Ultimate Driving Machine fans will gravitate towards the M235i Coupe, the the first M Performance (a sub-brand of the M division) model for the North American market. According to BMW, M Performance are the “sportiest versions of our BMW line-up, very close to the racetrack-type performance of our M products.” With a familiar turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six making 326 hp, BMW says the M235i will scoot from rest to 100 km/h in only 4.8 seconds. The 2015 2 Series Coupes go on sale later this spring. Expect the requisite drop top versions in the near future, too.

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