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