2022 BMW 2-Series coupe keeps the rear-wheel-drive dream alive
BMW late on Tuesday revealed its redesigned 2-Series coupe ahead of the formal debut on Thursday at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The new 2-Series arrives as a 2022 model and will be at dealerships from November.
Two models will be available at the car’s U.S. launch. The base model will be a rear-wheel-drive 230i priced from $37,345. Above this will be an all-wheel-drive M240i xDrive priced from $49,545. Both prices include destination.
An all-wheel-drive 230i xDrive and rear-wheel-drive M240i will be offered at a later date. Also in the pipeline is a new M2 coupe.
The redesigned 2-Series is a bigger car than the one it replaces. It measures roughly 4.3 inches longer, 2.6 inches wider, and 1.0 inch lower. It also has a wheelbase that’s 2.0 inches longer. The track is also wider at both ends, measuring an extra 2.8 inches at the front and 1.9 inches at the rear. The widened track is even more extreme on the M240i xDrive.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 in the 230i and a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 in the M240i xDrive. The 230i comes with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and the M240i xDrive with 382 hp and 369 lb-ft. In both cases an 8-speed automatic is standard. The 230i will return a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds and the M240i xDrive a time of 4.1 seconds. Top speed is 130 mph for both models (155 mph with performance tires).
2022 BMW 2-Series
2022 BMW 2-Series
2022 BMW 2-Series
Buyers seeking more performance will have to wait for the M2 which we should see sometime next year. This model should feature a detuned version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-6 found in the M3 and M4. Expect output to hover around 420 hp. That’s up considerably on the 365 hp of the outgoing M2 and should give the new car the edge over the 416-hp 45-series from Mercedes-Benz AMG. Another edge for the M2? A repeat of the outgoing car’s available manual transmission is expected.
All 2-Series coupe variants benefit from a body whose torsional stiffness has been increased by around 12% compared to the previous generation. The chassis also features stroke-dependent dampers as standard. These are said to result in a nice balance between sportiness and comfort. For improved suspension performance, BMW will offer adaptive dampers. A locking differential for the rear axle will also be offered. Both the adaptive dampers and locking diff are standard items on the M240i xDrive.
2022 BMW 2-Series
Inside, a driver-focused cabin features all the typical BMW interior cues and comes standard with grippy sport seats and a multifunction steering wheel with leather trim. The biggest screens on offer include a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch infotainment display (analog gauges and an 8.8-inch infotainment screen are standard). Apply CarPlay, Android Auto, WiFi and a head-up display are all on offer.
Production of the new 2-Series coupe will take place at BMW’s plant in Lerma, Mexico, which already builds some 3-Series models. The jury is still out on whether a convertible is being developed. There’s a good chance we won’t see one due to low demand.
This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will run in the United Kingdom from July 8-11. For more details, head to our dedicated hub. And for more on the full BMW 2-Series range, read the in-depth reviews at The Car Connection.
