A total weight of 1,690 kg. No, that wasn't a typo; the weight of BMW's new "junior" sports coupe is 120 kg higher than that of the M4 from a previous generation. Yes, we are aware of the advancements in occupant safety as well as the fact that economies of scale prevent the use of exotic materials for weight reduction in all circumstances. Yes, we would prefer that cars like this existed than not. Seriously though? A two-door BMW coupe that weighs almost 1.7 tons with a full tank of gas and no passengers inside? This must be successful.

One of my first thoughts after gathering myself is that the M240i xDrive will be a machine defined by numbers. Not only that, but the most recent version of BMW's B58 in-line six-cylinder turbocharged engine produces 369 horsepower between 5500 and 6500 rpm and a numerically equivalent 500N.m over a characteristically wide rev range (1900-5000 rpm). Do you desire more stats? The M240i boasts eight speeds and accelerates to 100kph in just 4.3 seconds

If the kilograms catch your eye first, the complex topic of design will quickly catch your interest. The art of using felt tips tends to dominate most conversations these days when it comes to BMW, and I have a feeling that the new 2-series coupe won't be any different. It doesn't matter what I think; what matters is that it's a car that draws attention and strong opinions, split probably evenly between the lovers and the haters, in a manner that few other cars have in my recent experience. For me, the proportions are amazing, but the detailing is much less so. Even if nothing else, this clearly satisfies a requirement of a coupe: to elicit a response, to make a statement, and to profess a particular style.

But why is it so heavy? Well, the car is 105mm longer and 64mm wider than the previous 2-series coupe hidden by those three-box, long-bonnet proportions. BMW claims to use numerous alloy elements, including an aluminum bonnet, but as we've already mentioned, the overall result hasn't been a lighter vehicle. Also keep in mind that the incoming M2 will have the same body-in-white this time around rather than custom paneling, which contributes to the blown-wheelarch stance.

It also comes standard with four-wheel drive, which is BMW's superb electronically controlled centre-diff setup with a limited-slip differential on the rear axle, making the eight-speed torque-converter automatic the sole available gearbox. Both are ineffective for losing weight.

You can learn all of this by reading the press release and looking through a few pictures. The reality, though, tells a totally different story, and it starts when you open the heavy door and get into the driver's seat. Anyone who has driven a current BMW will be familiar with the inside, which is robust, bustling, and unmistakably Teutonic. I despise the awful digital instruments since they are horribly awkward and overly fashionable, and because it isn't an actual M-car, there isn't enough personal setting to actually fix it. Please BMW: even if the visuals are fancy, this is hardly an improvement over your current setup if you can't immediately read the engine revs.

The fantastic, low-slung driving position, the outstanding sports seats, and the seeming refinement when you start moving are indisputable facts, though. The straight-six fires with little more than a refined hum, but in those first few seconds, it has already won the battle, if not the war. Why? Due of the comforting sense of power, opulence, and, dare I say it, decadence that a large, juicy, six-cylinder motor like this one produces in an era of EVs, shrunken PHEVs, and worthy-but-dull four-pot turbos. The M240i is already well down the path to success if a coupe is meant to make you feel good because of its obvious power and mechanical smoothness. It is fundamentally blue-blooded.

The M240i may be BMW's tiniest coupe, but it unquestionably has large GT car aspirations. This initial feeling of refinement is not transient, and it becomes clear once the vehicle is moving that it has those aspirations. The ride is appropriately soothing when in Comfort mode, or Individual with the adaptive damping set to Comfort, softening off the worst of potential intrusions without ever feeling overly supple in its approach. Wind noise is incredibly well muffled, and there are times when the engine is practically silent and blends into the background so well that it's difficult to identify what's driving the vehicle. Which, although not exactly the stuff of great driver's cars, does put you at rest if you have a lengthy ride ahead of you.

The new coupe's size is difficult to define: when you walk around it, you don't think it's a big car, and the same is true when you're driving and trying to place it on the road. However, even though the interior is conspicuously snug, like a coupe, there is still plenty of head and elbow room, surprisingly roomy rear seats, and a fully functional boot.

But what you really want to know is how 369bhp feels and how the car handles in curves. The M240i has this incredibly wonderful, velvety punch, from virtually any revs, that just pulls the vehicle up the road, through other traffic if necessary, and pings you from corner to turn. This gives the car's torque the overpowering initial impression. It's one of the reasons I usually use the paddles or the central gearshifter for manual control; otherwise, with eight speeds, there's a lot of frenzied automatic gearchanging going on that quickly becomes grating.

The engine note gets more audible and everything tightens up when you go to Sport (you have a choice of Sport, Sport+, and Sport Individual modes). However, I quickly decide to use either Comfort with the automatic transmission or Sport Individual with manual gears: the former for driving, with the aggressive engine setting but comfort damping, and the latter for when I'm not interested. Moving up a level brings some borderline rebound rates that can make people nod their heads in agreement. The normal suspension setting is actually extremely well suited for British roads with all of their imperfections. Sport is worthwhile for the extra control and precision it brings, but anything less than eight-tenths effort and I'd stick with the softer damping. The trade-off is more body control and a little less roll, so if you're really trying — or trying hard on an undulating road, for example — then Sport is worthwhile for the extra control and precision it brings. Sport+ damping is very firm, I guess.

Yes, it moves quickly. With so many ratios to navigate, the speed builds in continuous waves of propulsion, punctuated by moderate jolts. Although it lacks the top-end fury of a genuine M-car, it is already much faster than you'll ever need on a public road, and pairing this elastic oomph with four-wheel drive contributes to its performance's strength. The M240i simply hunkers down and goes, without wasting a single horsepower, and this is one of the fundamental ways in which it conceals its weight. In a similar coupe from 15 years ago, the rear axle would have been working quite hard, even in the dry. Similar to the current M3, the M240i never feels like 1690kg; if you had to guess, you'd probably say at least 150kg lighter. Combine absolute traction with superb torque over a wide band and a profusion of gears.

The drivetrain's major distinction from, say, an M3/4 xDrive is that it is far more traction-biased. In a four-wheel-drive M-car, it is feasible to hang the tail out and yet feel the accelerating force from all four wheels, even if you may not be entirely aware that the front axle is receiving drive. The setup is flawlessly integrated.Even in its most sporty mode, the M240i wants to be straight again quickly, so even though there are brief instances of oversteer visible in this review's opening image, you must be fully ready for the car to return to its straight position. When it does, you want the front wheels to be pointed in the right direction.

However, the M240i only exhibits this type of behavior in extreme situations. When the throttle is backed off just a bit, it performs best, a graceful burst of revs whisking it along, settling the rear under power, and adopting a classic tail-wide stance through a corner, just a few degrees beyond neutral but not any further. While not the most connected feel and input, the steering has a fast ratio and feels precise and suitably weighted. Additionally, you typically only need minor inputs. With the vehicle, you may achieve a delightful state of flow that is not only enjoyable but also a seriously quick means of going from point A to point B

So there you have it—the M240i xDrive's riddle. With that much weight and that transmission, it should be flawed and severely hindered from an enthusiast standpoint, but modern BMW has once again shown that it can take components that seem compromised on paper and combine them to create something that is far more capable and appealing than you'd ever have imagined. That is some ingenious work, high-grade polishing at its finest.

The M240i does not feel inferior to an M-car in any way. A versatile, highly competent coupe with a strong sense of style (whether you like it or not), it's a small GT with burgeoning muscles instead. It blends massive performance and cross-country pace with big-car finesse. For me, a five-hour nighttime freeway trek to Anglesey Circuit followed by a return leg on historic roads across north Wales best exemplified its capabilities. It was excellent at all of them thanks to its range of skills.

Possibly by now, you have a mental image of this car. It's a superb all-arounder that and is only marginally more expensive than a mk8 Golf R, Mercedes-AMG CLA35, and a great deal less expensive than an Audi RS3. What at first glance appears to be a disappointing recipe for a smallish driver's coupe due to its weight actually blends together remarkably well. The more you drive it, the more addictive and satisfying it becomes.