Wednesday 16th October 2019

BMW extends Gran Coupe family with new 2 Series

Imagine it just like an 8 Series Gran Coupe, just smaller. And not quite as good looking...

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Well this is... something. BMW has unveiled its first-ever 2 Series Gran Coupe, a slopey rival to Mercedes' CLA and, less directly, to Audi's A3 saloon (because, thankfully, Audi hasn't Sportback'd that yet).

Set to debut at the LA Auto Show in November, it'll be available in a variety of guises, from the entry-level 218i to the range-topping M235i xDrive, via an oil-burning 220d. With pricing quoted as falling within the €31,950 to €51,900 bracket in Germany, the smallest of the Gran Coupes ought to be comparably priced to its aforementioned competitors when it arrives in the UK next year.

The styling stays true to BMW's recent questionable output, with a chunky front end and a rear that looks to be from a car three classes bigger. Kudos to whichever poor member of the BMW PR team had to find a press release's worth of positive ways to describe the aesthetic of what's claimed to be a "more dashing alternative to the classical sedan", but when terms like "flamboyant" and "dynamically stretched" are being rolled out then you know you're in trouble.

There are practicalities to the new shape, of course. At 94mm longer than the standard car, the Gran Coupe offers 33mm more rear legroom and 40 litres more boot space. It also features a unique kidney grille design, new LED lights front and rear and a selection of grown-up options including a glass roof, 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and nine-inch head-up display.

The available powerplants offer similarly sensible figures of 55mpg from the 218i's three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine and 67mpg from the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel unit of the 220d. Those produce just 140hp and 190hp respectively, though, for 0-62 times of 8.7 and 7.5 seconds. If you absolutely must have the extra room over the hatch, then, it's the M235i xDrive that you'll want.

It boasts 306hp and 332lb ft from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor, propelling it from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 155mph. It also comes with sports suspension, uprated brakes, a front limited-slip diff and BMW's torque vectoring by braking Performance Control software, meaning that it ought to uphold BMW's reputation for dynamically excellent drivers.

Despite all that, though, discussion around the new 2 Series Gran Coupe will inevitably centre on its looks. On which note, over to you...

 

[Alan Weaver]

BMW needs a rethink, and has for a while. My first thought was Vauxhall Astra......

[BigChiefmuffinAgain]

Compared to some recent BMW efforts, it is not as bad.

Admittedly, this is comparing from a very low bar.

BMW design just seems very "confused" at the mo, like 3 people with very different ideas design each car and a computer then sort of mixes them all together.

[Pica-Pica]

The article seemed to have misspelt the word ‘sloppy’, they have written ‘slopey’.

[Flybubba]

Was actually thinking from the earlier pictures & details of this car it would be a contender once I replace my Audi A3 saloon but all the dimensions look wrong & def couldn’t live with that rear end!

[Froomee]

I don’t usually comment on things like this but this looks like a bunch of random parts all designed for different models stuck together (I guess this is essentially what it is to an extent).

I think you could get a more cohesive design using random cart parts from different manufacturers as opposed to this.

[Dale487]

The Hyundai i30 Fastback is better looking.

[Greg the Fish]

F**K me that's hideous. Again!

[MyV10goesWhaaa]

Ewww...

[Triumph Man]

That is utterly disgusting.

[cerb4.5lee]

I'd have to see one in the metal, but it certainly doesn't look that great from the photos. The engine bay photo is just like looking under the bonnet of my Mini Cooper S.

[Paddy78]

I was out for a drive on Sunday with an E30 518 and 2 E60 M5's... lovely looking cars to my eyes. What on earth is happening to BMW's designs. They seem to have gone from bland to hideous. I'm a massive fan of the 4, 6 and 8 GC's, but this just looks so wrong. Added to a seemingly ever growing list of BMW's I have no desire to own, along with the new 1 series and all of the SUV's.

[abzmike]

And now we have reached peak niche.

[simon-tigjs]

Yet another new model ? Booooring ! I find the economics and the constant re invention of all these new models staggering. Given how much it costs to make a new model you end up selling a little of everything rather than a really solid range to many with some decent variations. How does this ever pay? This must have a knock on effect of the depreciation as all the time your looking for an ever limited specialist market and none of them seem to do anything really well to make them stand out and they all look the same. This is born out by all the special offers almost immediately upon launch, deposit contributions, so called attractive finance plans which are hell bent on getting people to buy something they cant actually afford and trick them into being forced back into the dealership for a new one when the balloon is so huge. Once upon a time a new car model was something to behold. I cant help thinking they have re invented the wheel once too often.

[4941cc]

Another dog's breakfast of a thing from BMW, filling a niche that nobody asked for.

Transverse engines in BMW's, awful. Lost 30 years of interest when their wonderful NA sixes died.

abzmike said:

And now we have reached peak niche.

I think that was a few years ago, we're now very firmly into having jumped the shark territory.

[Hub]

Oof, not good from the rear! (The latest BMW front end treatments having been discussed at length elsewhere!)

Not even very coupe like compared to other 'gran-coupes' in the range. More like a 2 Series saloon (even if it does have a hatch!).

How many niches within the BMW range remain unfilled now then?

[Court_S]

cerb4.5lee said:

I'd have to see one in the metal, but it certainly doesn't look that great from the photos. The engine bay photo is just like looking under the bonnet of my Mini Cooper S.

That’s because it is a MINI in a slightly uglier frock!

[Ursicles]

BMW need to stop now and call it a day.

Their cars look like automotive jokes

[Dombilano]

That arse though, its horrific

[Barry Homo]

How much smaller is it than a 3?

[Dale487]

Barry Homo said:

How much smaller is it than a 3?

It the £6k price difference that matters here.