First registered 26/09/2014

Press the engine start button, and the 3.0 Litre turbocharged six-cylinder comes to life with a flare of revs. It immediately settles to a near-silent idle, and when driven gently it purrs away.  This time its force-fed by a twin scroll turbocharger which pumps out 320 horsepower with a top speed of 155mph and a 0 to 62mph in just 5 seconds ! Perhaps more impressively, 332 pound-feet of torque. The sound is just absolutely incredible  ! Most importantly, It is incredibly smooth and sweetly sonorous It’s best experienced in Sport or Sport Plus mode, where the steering assistance is reduced and feedback improved. Throttle response sharpens significantly, too, making it feel truly alive

The first thing you’ll notice about this M235i is the incredible looks and just how civilised it is at low speeds also. Sure, it’s a bit firmer than the M135i hatch on which it’s based, but there’s a compliancy there that you won’t find on most other high-performance coupes. Arrive at the first corner and the BMW reponds sharply enough, with steering that’s pleasingly light and precise , even though you don’t get a huge amount of sensation through your fingertips but it still feels amazing.

The M235i’s sports seats are excellent and are very well bolstered with adjustable side pillows that provide good support when you’re throwing the car into bends which are extremely comfy also. The fascia is neatly laid out and the main infotainment functions are easy to use, thanks to BMW’s iDrive controller. The dash feels well screwed together and classy enough The steering wheel is fantastic , All the buttons on the steering wheel are where they should be allowing you to answer calls or even just change the radio without letting your hands off the wheel at all times.