Considering an M240 xDrive

[Wyldstyle]

Hi everyone. My lease is up in October, and I am starting to look at my next car, especially due to some of the deals that are coming out now (and may or may not still be available in the fall).

My current car is a 2018 440 xDrive Gran Coupe (Estoril blue - beautiful color but starting to wear on me).
My previous BMW, also a lease, was a 2014 335i (sapphire black - loved that color & that car).

This time, I am looking hard at at 2 series, most likely an M240 xDrive. I had a 235i as a loaner a few years back, during my first lease, and loved it. However, my daughter, now 10, gets carsick, so the back seat & its tiny windows were a problem. But she's old enough to ride shotgun now, and 90% of my driving is just me in the car in any case, as my spouse drives when we are together. Also, I work from home around 50% of the time (under normal conditions) so only drive 2-3 days a week.

I am considering purchasing a CPO this time around rather than leasing again, because:
1) I'm super interested in the upcoming i4, so I don't want the lease commitment.
2) Related, I find the lease to be constrictive in terms of inability to end early AND the opposite, the requirement to turn in the car at the end. Both times, the car has ended up worth less than payoff, so I had to wait until lease end. With my 335, I looked hard at options to buy it out at the end because I loved it, but I couldn't make the #s work. With the 440, I was wanting something different halfway in.

Anyhow, that was a bit of meandering for context, but I am here to ask some questions on the 2 series coupe (not interested in a convertible):
1) How is it on the highway? Light? Does it feel blown around by semis, wind, etc? 90% of my commute is highway, unfortunately.
2) Related to the above, how is road noise?
3) More generally, would you recommend a M240 as a daily driver if most of the driving is highway?
4) I'm looking at CPOs for MY 2017-2020. I'd prefer 2019+, but there aren't many around. Are there any significant differences across these model years? I'm guessing the loaner 235i I had was a 2016-ish.
5) Lastly, not that important, but.. WTH is with the 2020 M235? Why is there a FWD 2 series that is using the '35' naming? I am so confused. I thought '40 replaced '35, like '30 replaced '28. But now apparently there are both, and they seem to be fundamentally different. And why is there an "M" on a FWD car? Maybe that is more common than I realized, as I have mostly only paid attention to 3 & 4 series until recently...

[MarcoZandrini]

I own a 2018 M240i. It’s a little fidgety on the highway but I think it’s due to the tires (Michelin PSS) and not the chassis. He (his name is Gerhardt) isn’t bothered by winds or semis more than any other bimmer. Road noise isn’t bad at all, though I’m in the process of adding sound deadening material. The tires are fine when new but tend to get a bit noisy as the tread wears. He really shines on the highway. But, he’s a beast on the track! The corvettes don’t keep up except in the straights. Of course, I’ve swapped out the factory Brembo pads for Performance Friction-08 pads. He just out brakes and put handles the vettes. 2018 is, I think, the first year with the B58 engine. There’s a tuner who is building a Supra drift car (a Supra has the same driveline as the new Z4) with the B58 engine and he’s getting 750 hp from it. Now he’s done ton of mods including using 2 turbo’d, etc. but a lot of the engine is stock! The B58 is a jewel!

FWD! Gott im Himmel? It’s cones down to economics. It’s cheap and easier to build a FWD car than a RWD car. Of course, the car’s balance is fubar’d. The new “grand coupe” has a 58/42 front to rear weight ratio!!! The M240i is a perfect 50/50 ratio. That’s what make the car so great to drive.