Nick Ho’s 2015 M235i
Comfort is Key.
If you hadn’t guessed, this is Nick Ho, a friend of mine back when we both owned Miata’s (he still does, albeit not the one I met him in). He wanted something faster than the Miata, cooler than the Miata, better than the Miata… So, of course he wanted an S15 Spec-R. He was looking around for quite some time for one that was truly worth it, since JDM imports can be kinda scary to buy, especially one’s that are often drift cars. Why is he in a M235i then? Uhhh…. quick look at this next photo!
Well he got in it… Some may say that was a mistake, the diehard JDM fans at least will, but the fact of the matter is, newer BMW’s are nice, and this one is especially nice. So, from originally wanting an S15 Spec-R to getting into this 2015 M235i? Yeah, I wanted to know why too, so I asked him.
He said he wanted a fast, straight six, turbo, manual, rwd car… that’s also a good daily, easily manageable, and more comfortable than the miata. Well, there’s not a lot of those out there other than BMW, so this one fit the bill. This particular car happened to be only one of fifty for the Canadian market which added the allure of rarity as well.
“So… what’s all done to it?” Sure his visions of an old JDM nostalgia monster went sideways quick, but, surely that doesn’t mean you suddenly don’t like fun cars? No, it certainly does not.
It’s quite the OEM+ car, modified tastefully with M Performance Exhaust, M Performance Springs, M Performance Rear Diff, Carbon Fiber Mirror Caps/Trunk Spoiler, M Performance front lip/rear diffuser, and an M Performance Alcantara steering wheel. It exudes ///M quality while retaining the comfort and simplicity of a 235i.
But okay, sure if you like all the M stuff, why not an M2? Well, for reasons I’m learning to understand quite a lot as I grow up, but if you want a nice daily driver, there’s some portions of comfort and simplicity that aren’t really worth giving up. the M235i has much smoother suspension, and has a comfortable amount of power that isn’t too much for the street, which realistically is all he needs. It’s more comfortable than an M2, it’s a hell of a lot more comfortable than the Miata, and it’s pretty fun, that’s all you really need in a daily.
Sometimes a great car isn’t measured by it’s horsepower numbers or it’s G-force ratings, sometimes it’s just a feeling when you hop in.
