BMW M240i (G42)

Only 10 cars in the 600-car catalogue combine an inline-6 engine with AWD, placing the BMW M240i (G42) in a particularly narrow technical group. For a collector, that figure matters because it describes a balance that is difficult to find in this catalogue: six-cylinder character, turbocharged performance, and all-weather traction gathered in one compact sports car format.

The M240i’s place is not defined by chasing the catalogue’s highest outputs. Its 369 bhp ranks 454th of 600 cars, while its 0-100 km/h time of 4.3 seconds is faster than 239 catalogue entries. Those numbers describe a car positioned away from the outright extremes, but still firmly within the performance conversation. Its 250 km/h top speed places it 414th, reinforcing a pattern of measured ability rather than a single-minded pursuit of maximum figures.

The rare point of the M240i is the combination. Only 33 of the 600 cars use an inline-6 layout, and just 11 are turbocharged inline-6 cars. The addition of AWD reduces that group further to 10. The result is a specification profile that stands apart through its particular arrangement rather than through a catalogue-leading statistic. With a 2,998 cc, 3.0-litre engine producing 500 Nm of torque, it presents a focused interpretation of a 2+2 seater fixed-head coupé.

That focus also shapes its place in a collector’s selection. BMW contributes 48 cars to the catalogue, while 197 catalogue cars come from Germany, so the M240i sits within a broad national and brand presence rather than existing as an isolated choice. Its used price of £38,000 places it 495th of 600 cars by cost, meaning it is more expensive than 105 cars in the catalogue. At £103 per bhp, its figures create a clear relationship between performance and outlay.

The M240i occupies an interesting middle ground in the catalogue. It is not among the highest-powered cars, the quickest accelerators, or the fastest machines available, yet its specific combination of inline-6, turbocharging and AWD places it in a group of only 10. In a garage assembled from 600 possibilities, this BMW represents a choice shaped by balance: a compact coupé with a configuration that remains uncommon within the wider collection. Its position away from the extremes is precisely what gives it a distinct role.