New BMW X2 M35i tops the range with 302bhp

BMW has unleashed a new member of the X2 SUV line-up in the form of a performance oriented X2 M35i model, which will go on sale in Europe next March.

The X2 M35i acts as a sportier flagship variant, featuring a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine developing 302bhp and 450Nm of torque.

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BMW says that it’s the first ever M branded four-cylinder engine, and it sends drive to the X2 M35i’s all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. With launch control equipped, 0-62mph takes 4.9 seconds. A top speed has not been announced, but the car is likely to bump into BMW's standard 155mph speed limiter Fuel economy chimes in at a claimed 33.6mpg, while emissions stand at 191g/km CO2.

Alongside the new engine, chassis and suspension revisions sharpen the handling while a tweaked steering system aims to deliver a sportier feel to the driver. BMW says that the M Sport suspension on the X2 M35i features an adaptive system with two manually selectable modes to adjust the setup.

Elsewhere, a locking limited slip differential has been equipped at the front axle, and BMW says that the brakes on the X2 M35i have been uprated as well, with huge 18-inch disks at the front.

On the outside, the BMW X2 M35i is distinguished from the rest of the range with a sportier front bumper with redesigned air intakes. Around the back an M Sport rear spoiler is found, while the tweaked rear bumper houses an M Sport exhaust system. The hot SUV rides on 19-inch wheels as standard, with 20-inch wheels on the options list. The interior gets similarly subtle changes, with the steering wheel and seats lifted from the standard X2’s M Sport interior package. 

Should BMW go the whole hog and give us a proper X2 M? Let us know your thoughts in the comments...