Aside from the 218i Gran Coupe, BMW also gave us a taste of what the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe was like while we were in Portugal earlier this year and it has made us pray for its arrival in Malaysia ever since.
With near identical output as the Mercedes-AMG A35 launched in Malaysia last year, the M235i xDrive will have to carry the torch in competing with the most compact AMG in Malaysia at the moment.
More so after the Head of BMW’s M division claimed that there wouldn’t be an M2 Gran Coupe because it’s simply not necessary.
That makes the M235i xDrive the halo model for the all-new 2-series Gran Coupe. Throughout the short 50 km drive back to Lisbon from a surfer’s town we drove to in the 218i Gran Coupe, the biggest takeaway was how comfortable the car was.
Being in Sport Mode throughout the entire drive merely made the car more alert to your inputs but in no way compromised comfort. In terms of appearance and stature, seeing as it’s completely draped in M Sport apparel both in and out, it’s hard to undermine how the M235i looks if parked next to the AMG A35.
To be fair though, the AMG A35 does look more proportionate, with a rear end that’s certainly easier on the eye. On the other hand, the 2 Series Gran Coupe line up in general, bearing similarities with BMW’s GT models, might need some getting used to.
