The BMW M235i Is To Car Guys What Nicotine Is To Smokers

I've just spent two days driving the new BMW M235i on some of the best roads in southern Spain (the mountain passes in the Ronda region are incredible). From reading early reviews of the coupe and having driven the M135i hatchback last year, I was damn sure I'd like the new car; what I wasn't prepared for, was how much my innermost petrolhead would quickly crave time behind the wheel...my precious.

First things first, though, let's talk looks. It's official, the M235i is a hot car (you guys said so), thanks to its subtle aggression, lovely 18-inch rims, 1M-esque profile and dinky boot spoiler. Then there's the Estoril blue colour you see here, which I'm convinced would make even a Prius look sexy if you slapped it with the famous BMW finish.

Under the M235i's hood you get a turbocharged straight-six with 322bhp; it's a touch more powerful than the 316bhp M135i, meaning the 0-62mph figures drop by 0.1sec to 4.8 and 5.0 seconds for the eight-speed auto and six-speed manual cars respectively. In case these figures sound familiar to you, it's because they're identical to the Audi S3 quattro's.

So what is it that makes the M235i a car worthy of organ donation? That's easy; there's nothing I don't like about it. It's the perfect size (despite being slightly longer and wider than the outgoing 1-series coupe), it devours mountain roads, it sounds incredible (video coming soon) and it has enough grip and poise for nauseating changes in direction - as CT cameraman Matt confirmed with actual vomit while filming from the passenger seat.

It's not only these things that make for such a compelling package. It's also the way the M235i makes you feel the moment you slip behind the wheel. Because of its coupe shape, you feel cocooned, safe and instantly connected. The dashboard - angled towards the driver - is simple and smart, the steering wheel (a new design that BMW has already featured on the 3-series) is sexy as hell and the leather seats offer loads of support without feeling like you're being hugged by a horny bear - a trait possessed by the Focus ST.

Point the Beemer at a mountain with sweeping bends and challenging corners and even in the car's Comfort mode, you'll be grinning from ear to ear. The M235i's astonishing mechanical grip rewards a confident driver, but for the full fat, tyre smoking goodness, you need to hit Sport Plus, which limits the car's electronic nannying and allows the back-end to get frisky. Luckily, the coupe's balance means you don't need Stig-like reflexes for ass-out action.

When you simply want to kick back and chill, however, the M235i's the perfect companion for that too. The car's ride is refined and quiet, the pedal and gearbox weights are just right and the steering is direct and quick. Most importantly, however, is that the M235i is never an intimidating car to drive thanks to its relatively modest dimensions and £34,250 starting price, a small price to pay for what is, arguably, the best car currently on sale in terms of completeness, excitement and pure driver involvement. Nicotine, who the hell needs it?