BMW’s M240i is a fine performance coupé, but there’s no question that the character of the G42 generation lies more towards the GT end of the spectrum than in the realm of outright dynamism.
Four-wheel drive, an automatic gearbox and 1700kg mean it naturally leans that way. As a consequence, anybody who wants their compact BMW coupé to be more of an athlete is now funnelled towards the new M2 – all £61,495 of it, in its fat-hipped, 454bhp glory (with, if you so desire, a manual ’box).
But there’s a middle ground, even if it might not appear that way. At a glance, tuner AC Schnitzer’s adjustments to the M240i would seem to take the car too far in the other direction: too hardcore and uncompromising. That’s mostly down to the wheels. You may wonder how on earth 20in alloys wearing filigree 30-section Michelins (versus 19in and 40-section for the standard car) can work in the UK, yet they do. You may also imagine that pairing such a wheel and tyre package with 20mm-shorter springs at both ends of the chassis would sign the death warrant for ride quality and road manners, yet it hasn’t. Quite the opposite, because if anything Schnitzer’s ACS2 kit unlocks the hottest sub-M 2 Series and helps it fully deliver on its potential as a rewarding day-to-day driver’s car.
As ever with Aachen-based AC Schnitzer, you can choose which upgrades and accoutrements you want, ranging from aluminium pedals that cost £198 right up to the full conversion package, which totals roughly £20,000 and morphs the M240i into a 414bhp, 443lb ft Porsche 911-baiter. This example, belonging to UK importer Rossiters near King’s Lynn, forgoes the upgraded 3.0-litre straight six, not least because the standard car’s 368bhp and 369lb ft is understandably considered ample. However, this car has almost everything else and, well, we can use our imagination for the missing 46bhp.