BMW PH Updates 2 Series With New 218i, 374-HP M240i Variants

The BMW 2 Series Coupe range has been updated for the 2023 model year, with the introduction of two new variants: the entry-level 218i in M Sport guise and the performance-oriented M240i.

Starting with the 2023 BMW 218i, this is your entry point into owning BMW’s sporty two-door compact coupe. As mentioned, the 218i comes as an M Sport model as standard, which means you get a sporty exterior design that’s characterized by a sporty front bumper, black side skirts, and an aggressive rear end with an M rear spoiler. This is complemented by an M Sport suspension that lowers the 2 Series by a bit, along with 18-inch M Sport wheels.

The interior is where most of the updates have been implemented, as it features a new dash design that houses BMW’s new iDrive 8 with two curved screens. The driver gets a Live Cockpit Plus 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster while the main infotainment screen is 14.9 inches in size. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are offered as standard, along with ambient LED lighting, Alcantara and synthetic leather upholstery, aluminum interior trims, and power-adjustable front seats. For this update, the electronic gear lever has also been ditched in favor of a toggle switch.

Powering the 2023 BMW 218i is a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that produces 156 hp and 250 Nm of torque–numbers that are exactly the same as the 318i we reviewed a few years ago. This is, of course, mated to an 8-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels.

Moving on to the top-of-the-range 2023 BMW M240i, this is practically a “lite” version of the high-performance M2 in our opinion. This model gets a slightly sportier exterior that’s characterized by larger 19-inch wheels, blue M Sport brakes, and a commemorative BMW M 50 Years badge.

The interior of this model is largely the same as the 218i, but it now gets Vernasca Leather upholstery that can be selected in three colors: Tacora Red, Black, and Oyster.

The main highlight of the 2023 BMW M240i is its 3.0-liter straight-six turbo engine, which produces 374 horses and 500 Nm of torque. This is the same engine that’s fitted to the BMW Z4 M40i as well as the Toyota GR Supra. As usual, this is fitted to an 8-speed automatic, but in the M240i, this model comes with xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard. 0-100 kph in the M240i happens in just 4.3 seconds.

With great power comes great responsibility, which is why the 2023 BMW M240i comes with adaptive suspension, a limited-slip differential (LSD), and the aforementioned M Sport brakes.

Despite having more features, albeit with a little less power, the BMW 218i M Sport retails for P3,590,000–P100,000 less than the 220i. On the other hand, the M240i retails for a reasonable P4,890,000, especially considering the features and performance you get for your money.