Article Summary
- BMW is preparing to transition Europe’s M240i xDrive to the B58B30M3 engine revision.
- The turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six could gain 25 horsepower.
- The switch is scheduled to come into effect with the cars manufactured from April 2027.
When combustion engines are mentioned in a context about emissions regulations, it’s usually bad news for BMW enthusiasts. Europeans often have to settle for the short end of the stick, with detuned engines in some models to comply with EU legislation. But all is forgiven if BMW is making efforts to address the power discrepancy in upcoming models.
We recently reported that the M440i could receive an upgraded inline-six in vehicles manufactured from March 2027. There may be more good news on the horizon, as the smaller M240i may benefit from the same B58B30M3 engine revision. The switch is allegedly scheduled for a month later, in April 2027, and will bring the same power bump. The turbocharged 3.0-liter unit is claimed to deliver 394 hp, or 8 hp more than today. Both the M240i and M440i were updated last year in Europe, receiving the B58B30M2 engine with 386 hp, an 18-hp upgrade. At the same time, torque was bumped by 40 Newton-meters (30 pound-feet) to 540 Nm (398 lb-ft).
It seems BMW’s engineers have figured out a way to unlock more power from the B58 while still meeting the Euro 7 standard. Aside from the 2 Series Coupe and the 4 Series Coupe/Convertible, the new X5 is also getting the B58B30M3. The fifth-generation luxury SUV is rumored to offer 394 hp as well, a number BMW will confirm or deny in the coming months when the “G65” breaks cover. Similarly, the upcoming 7 Series LCI is transitioning to the latest six-cylinder gasoline engine for the 740 xDrive facelift.
The unconfirmed data comes from a well-placed company insider who frequently shares details on the Bimmer Post forums. Sadly, there’s no mention of the rear-wheel-drive M240i returning to Europe. The M Performance 2 Series Coupe without xDrive was removed from the European lineup a couple of years ago. As a refresher, the RWD M240i was 55 kilograms (121 pounds) lighter and €2,000 cheaper in Germany. In the United States, the tail-happy M240i soldiers on.
There may be a change to the 2 Series lineup even before the updated M240i arrives next year. A recent leak on BMW USA’s own website all but confirmed our reports about an M2 xDrive. It should debut later this year with an automatic-only setup. When that happens, it’ll sit alongside the standard G87 with rear-wheel drive and a choice between two or three pedals.
In the meantime, the flagship 2 Series Coupe just gained a couple of updates. There’s now an optional M Performance exhaust for the M2 CS, while the non-CS version receives a road-legal M Performance Track Kit. The latter is not just for newly placed M2 orders but also for existing cars as a retrofit package.
Both the G42 2 Series and the G87 M2 are expected to stick around for another three years. Production could end in mid-2029, and ideally, BMW will crown the lineup with an M2 CSL before the coupe retires.
