Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Guido ten Brink
Unveiled online in July 2021 alongside the more mundane BMW 2 Series, the G42 M240i didn't get the attention it deserves. It did make a public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer, but the performance-oriented coupe had to wait for the IAA 2021 in Munich to get a proper seat under the spotlight. And it hit the stage in Thundernight, what may be the hottest 2 Series color yet.
A metallic shade of purple, Thundernight is currently the most exotic hue in the coupe's official color palette. Sure, Portimao Blue and Melbourne Red are cool choices as well if you're into bright shades, but Thundernight will make your Bimmer stand out just about anywhere, especially in sunny weather.
But what's really cool about this hue is that it reminds me of Plum Crazy, the iconic purple color that adorned Mopars like the Dodge Charger and Challenger during the golden muscle car era. Sure, it's not 100% identical, but you get the drift.
And it's not even that expensive. At least it doesn't cost more than the usual metallic color. In Europe, Thundernight will set you back €750. Order this hue in the U.S. and you'll need to get an extra $550 out of your bank account.
As a reminder, the M240i continues to draw juice from a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six engine. However, the mill is now more powerful than ever at 382 horsepower, a 60-horsepower increase over the previous-generation model. In fact, the 2022 M240i packs more oomph than the old M2 (365 horses) and it's marginally less powerful than the outgoing M2 Competition (405 horsepower).
All that oomph and the standard all-wheel-drive system enable the M240i coupe to hit 60 mph (97 kph) from a standing start in 4.1 seconds, to go with a top speed of 155 mph (249 kph). All while still being able to return up to 32 mpg according to the EPA.
The 2022 M240i xDrive is already available in the United States, where it comes in at $48,550 before the handling fee and options. That's a significant $22,200 premium over the mild 230i trim, but we're talking about a bigger engine, an additional 127 horsepower, and notably quicker sprints.
But here's the good news. You don't have to fork up almost $50K to enjoy this new metallic purple that BMW calls Thundernight. You can go "plum crazy" with the more affordable 230i Coupe too.
But what's really cool about this hue is that it reminds me of Plum Crazy, the iconic purple color that adorned Mopars like the Dodge Charger and Challenger during the golden muscle car era. Sure, it's not 100% identical, but you get the drift.
And it's not even that expensive. At least it doesn't cost more than the usual metallic color. In Europe, Thundernight will set you back €750. Order this hue in the U.S. and you'll need to get an extra $550 out of your bank account.
As a reminder, the M240i continues to draw juice from a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six engine. However, the mill is now more powerful than ever at 382 horsepower, a 60-horsepower increase over the previous-generation model. In fact, the 2022 M240i packs more oomph than the old M2 (365 horses) and it's marginally less powerful than the outgoing M2 Competition (405 horsepower).
All that oomph and the standard all-wheel-drive system enable the M240i coupe to hit 60 mph (97 kph) from a standing start in 4.1 seconds, to go with a top speed of 155 mph (249 kph). All while still being able to return up to 32 mpg according to the EPA.
The 2022 M240i xDrive is already available in the United States, where it comes in at $48,550 before the handling fee and options. That's a significant $22,200 premium over the mild 230i trim, but we're talking about a bigger engine, an additional 127 horsepower, and notably quicker sprints.
But here's the good news. You don't have to fork up almost $50K to enjoy this new metallic purple that BMW calls Thundernight. You can go "plum crazy" with the more affordable 230i Coupe too.
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