Month 3 running a BMW M235i: the noise of the turbo-six
Every time I abandon the M235i at an airport I come back even more convinced of its brilliance. I love almost everything about this car, especially the 3.0-litre turbo six engine. In recent weeks I’ve found that neither Ferrari, with the California T, nor BMW’s own M Division, with the new M3, has managed to deliver a soundtrack to match all that turbo-facilitated torque. But the M235i sounds superb.It wails like the various ’80s six-pot BMWs I managed to sell just before the prices jumped, and far from feeling all done by 5000rpm like so many turbo’d engines, this one actually comes alive over the last few thousand rpm. Unlike its twin-turbo predecessor, this engine has one twin-scroll blower and is a standout example of how to artificially aspirate a car and make it fun.
When not taking me to airports, the M235i has been taking me to motorbike training. The school’s Yamaha XJ6 (76bhp, 276bhp per tonne with a rider) feels fairly exciting to a novice like me, but keeping it in the family, I’m dreaming of the incredible Concept Roadster BMW unveiled at Villa d’Este (below). I wonder what that sounds like.
By Chris Chilton