BMW M240I vs Tesla Model 3

What's the difference?

If there ever was a modern BMW that captured the essence of the classic 1602-2002 and pre-Bangle-era 3 Series, it's the 2 Series coupe.

From the lowly 118d diesel to the sublime M2, this model line is the reincarnation of everything that the old 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' company tagline stood for.

Now there's a third-generation 2 Series (if you also count the crisp E82 1 Series of 2007), and right now the M240i is giving off the sort of exciting vibes you might have felt as a teenager looking at a bedroom poster of a 2002ti or 323i.

Does the G42 2 Series deserve to sit alongside such esteemed ancestry? Let's take a deep dive into this most intriguing of BMWs to find out.

It’s been in Australia since 2019 and despite the arrival of a comprehensively upgraded version in late 2023, the Tesla Model 3’s once gargantuan popularity has been declining in recent years.

A seemingly never-ending influx of pure-electric alternatives, primarily from China, has eroded the mid-size sedan’s positioning as the go-to, best-value EV choice. 

But to its credit Tesla has again evolved the Model 3 proposition with the introduction of this Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive grade in October last year, at the time positioning it as “the longest-range EV in Australia”.

Since then, Tesla has adjusted the model grade name to Premium Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive.

Some additional tweaks, made in response to customer feedback, also illustrates the EV pioneer’s determination to step up in the face of increasingly fierce competition.

So, does this latest Model 3 do enough to earn a spot on your electric vehicle shopping list? We spent a week behind the wheel to find out.