Carscoops

If you lost touch with the automotive world over the past few years, you might be baffled to learn that we now call four- or five-door cars coupes, just because of the shape of their roofline. The trend dates back to 2004, when the original Mercedes-Benz CLS broke cover. Since then, the ‘coupe’ moniker has been used in almost every segment, even in the premium subcompact class by the Mercedes-Benz CLA and, more recently, the BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe . Read Also: BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe Vs. Mercedes CLA Coupe - Design, Performance, Interior And Tech Built on the same FWD-biased platform as the new 1-Series hatch, the 2-Series GC is topped by the M235i xDrive that borrows the oily bits from the sporty M135i. That may sound a bit confusing, but it’s not. The confusing part is actually under the hood, as unlike previous-gen ‘35’ cars, which came with inline-six engines, the new lineup makes do with four-cylinder turbo units. On paper, the 2.0-liter turbo-four sounds very promising, with 301 horsepower and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque, offering a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) sprint time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed capped at 155 mph (250 km/h). However, no one will be blown away by the sound it makes and it’s not a full-blown M model, but rather a warm one, with a matching price tag : $46,495 in the USA – only around $12,500 less than the rear-wheel drive M2 Competition, which has a 3.0-liter six-pot making 405 HP. Telling the M235i GC apart from the rest of the lineup is easy. You only have to look at the sporty body kit, with lots of scoops and vents, larger side skirts, different wheels and tweaked rear end with the real exhaust pipes hidden by fake surrounds. Inside, it offers bespoke sports seats, lots of gear and one of the best build qualities in the segment. The range-topping four-door is also more comfortable than the M135i hot hatch, so it should be the better choice in the long term. But would you actually want one in your life? The following video reviews could help you decide. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMCYUiKBV3U&list=PLmuoo4kGcGD5njcPcAmutd8rUZlYAwv8a[/embed]