BMW’s latest 2 Series Coupé breaks cover

BMW has introduced its faster, more powerful BMW 2 Series, which the company says is focused on increasing performance via an athletic design, a more sophisticated chassis that it shares with the BMW 4 Series Coupé, lightweight design, balanced 50:50 weight distribution and a rear-wheel biased xDrive system for the range topping M240i xDrive.

The flagship is powered by a six-cylinder 3.0l engine with 285kW and 500Nm. There will also be four-cylinder petrol and diesel models in rear-wheel drive format. The diesel BMW 220d Coupé puts out 140kW/400Nm with a 48V mild-hybrid system, while the petrol 220i has 130kW and 300Nm. There’s also a BMW 230i Coupé yielding 180kW, but it will be on sale only from 2022.

All the engines team up with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission as standard. The M240i has launch control and steering-wheel paddles as standard, but those features are optional on the rest.

Furthermore, the top M Sport model now sits 28mm lower and gets wider wheel tracks on an M Sport suspension, M Sport brakes, and a traction-enhancing M Sport differential at the rear axle. Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers is optional for the flagship model as well as 17-, 18- and 19-inch M light-alloy wheel options. The new 2 Series is 105mm longer and 64mm wider than its predecessor, with the wheelbase extended by 51mm.

Safety features include front-collision warning, speed-limit info, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optionally, lane-change warning, rear-collision prevention, rear-crossing traffic warning, park-distance control, reversing assistant, surround view and remote 3D view are available.

The cockpit has the option of a fully digital display and a head-up display. Sport seats and leather steering wheel are standard, and interior trim strips in Dark Graphite matt are standard. Steering-wheel heating, ambient lighting, and glass slide/tilt sunroof are optional.

Practicality is enhanced with a 390l boot and split/folding rear seats.

The car’s shape is similar to the previous compact coupé, but features a revised frontal design and rear, 3D-effect light clusters and a more pronounced, integrated boot spoiler. An optional M Sport Package Pro can be added on top of the M Sport specification, which includes 19-inch M light-alloy wheels, M Sport brakes, eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, a front spoiler lip and an M rear spoiler. Model-specific M Performance Parts will also be available for the new BMW 2 Series Coupé from launch.

BMW SA says the model will arrive in early 2022.