BMW’s putting the final touches on the sporty, RWD, second-gen BMW 2 Series Coupe, which is expected to debut in Singapore in Q4 2021

Maissaich, Germany

BMW’s second-gen 2 Series Coupe is entering the final phase of its development – ‘the dynamic testing and tuning of its drive and suspension systems under racetrack conditions’ – with production scheduled to begin in Germany in the summer of 2021. 

As first reported in our New Cars Of 2021 story, the car is expected to be in Singapore by Q4 2021. 

The new 2 Series looks to continue the ‘traditional’ BMW experience made famous by the BMW 3 Series – a rear-wheel drive (or rear-biased, at least) car with plenty of power and an agile, not-too-heavy chassis, plus a focus on driving pleasure. 

In BMW’s own words: “…is designed for uncompromising sporty driving pleasure. It continues the tradition of the brand’s particularly driver-oriented, compact and powerful two-door models, which have been built since the legendary BMW 2002.”

Because of that, the 2 Series Coupe is that it’s not directly related to its numbered brethren. It’s not like the 2 Series Gran / Active Tourer, the small MPV based on the UKL platform, which is front-wheel drive. Nor is it like the current 1 Series (the most affordable BMW) hatchback, or even the 2 Series Gran Coupe (a sedan), again both of which are front-wheel drive. 

The Coupe’s platform will be the CLAR platform, which is currently used by anything larger than the BMW 3 Series, and it’ll be the smallest CLAR car to date, though it will grow considerably over the previous 2 Series Coupe. Autocar says the car will add 51mm to its wheelbase, with a similar increase to its front track. 

We expect there to be a 220i with just under 200hp, then a 230i model with the same turbocharged inline four and around 240hp, while BMW has confirmed that there will be a semi-hot M, the M240i, with a turbo inline six-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive, and 374hp. To give you an idea of the performance, here are our reviews of the 330i and the M340i. 

The M240i will add a new trick, though: Mild hybrid tech. BMW says there will be a ‘fully variable locking effect generated by electric motor’, which sounds like the electric motor working on the front wheels alone. That could save weight over a conventional all-wheel drive system, and not that we mind, since BMW’s sport-biased xDrive models have been quite drift-happy in the right conditions, like the M340i on Portimao circuit. 

The BMW 2 Series: History
– 2013: The first BMW Series Coupe, codenamed F22, is launched. We test the Cabriolet at its international debut
– 2015 : Most powerful 2 Series, the M2, debuts, CarBuyer’s at the international test drive at Laguna Seca
– 2017: Mid-life facelift with updated lights, front end, and paint options
– 2018: Updated BMW M2 Competition debuts, we drive it at Ascari Circuit
– 2020: Limited-edition BMW M2 CS announced, and sold out

Looking for a used BMW 2 Series Convertible? UCars.sg has one listed for S$114k, along with more than 6,000 other used cars!

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