When BMW gave the 2 Series Coupe a Life Cycle Impulse earlier this year, that brought some bad news. The Bavarians killed the M240i with rear-wheel drive in Europe, leaving only the xDrive model. Americans can still choose between the two, but folks living on the Old Continent are stuck with the all-paw version. A new photoshoot shows the Euro-spec G42 range topper decked out with M Performance Parts.
How can we tell it’s the LCI model? Well, the Zandvoort Blue paint arrived with the LCI. Previously, it had been reserved for the M2 G87. The oddly placed M badge on the lower air intake wasn’t there before the facelift. That’s only half true since the M240i sold in China had the “world’s most powerful letter” from day one. As to why the M logo doesn’t adorn the kidneys, maybe it’s because the 2 Series Coupe has an active grille.
The facelifted M240i has body-colored side skirts instead of the pre-LCI model’s black look. BMW also paints the lower part of the rear apron to match the rest of the body. With M Performance Parts, it gets closer to the aggressive look of the full-fat M2. The aero body kit includes a front spoiler lip, a side skirt attachment, and a rear wing. There’s also a roof spoiler, a carbon diffuser, and a black M240i badge.
The more we look at the car, the more upgrades we can spot. The kidney grille has a carbon fiber contour, while the red tow strap is hard to miss. The M240i’s profile features a large decal in Frozen Black, a matte finish also adorning the hood. Those 19-inch wheels are also from the M Performance Parts catalog, and so is the carbon fiber fuel filler cap.
As cool as this M240i looks, we’re wondering how much it costs since we feel it gets dangerously close to an actual M2. In Germany, there’s a €14,700 gap between the two.
Photos: Sebastian Haberkorn / Instagram