Photo: BMW
The Leipzig plant in Germany is where BMW manufactures the 2 Series Gran Coupe from the ground up, joining other front-driven models and the i3 family on the production lines. Codenamed F44, the compact-ish sedan with the silhouette of a fixed-head coupe will premiere in the flesh at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show towards the end of the month.
“We are proud to produce this model at the Leipzig plant for the entire world market”, declared factory manager Hans-Peter Kemser. “The 2 Series Grand Coupe leads to a significant increase in volume,” he added, and in hindsight, BMW may be on to something with the F44.
As a direct competitor to the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, there’s no denying there are sales to be stolen away from the three-pointed star. On the downside for Munich, there’s no denying the CLA has better technology, more luxurious appointments, sharper styling, and a 421-horsepower version from Mercedes-AMG as opposed to the M235i xDrive.
BMW doesn’t plant to go higher than 2.0 liters, one turbocharger, and a little over 300 ponies. In other words, the M235i xDrive is more of a competitor to the CLA 35 instead of the 45 and 45 S. Scheduled to arrive at dealerships all across the world in the spring of 2020, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is currently offered with one turbo diesel (the 220d with 190 PS) and two turbocharged gasoline options (the 218i and M235i xDrive). Joined at the hip with the 1 Series hatchback for Europe and sedan for China, the first-ever 2 Series Gran Coupe mirrors the front-driven strategy of Mercedes-Benz with the CLA-Class.
Quite a disappointing change of heart from the makers of the “Ultimate Driving Machine,” don’t you think? Across the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. will receive two versions of the F44 with all-wheel drive. These are the 228i xDrive (228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet) as well as the M235i xDrive (301 horsepower and 332 pound-feet), both of them auto.
In addition to the eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is also available with a Torsen-style differential featuring an actuator-related wheel slip limiter. That’s a drive split of 50:50 whenever necessary and predictable handling regardless of driving scenario.
As a direct competitor to the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, there’s no denying there are sales to be stolen away from the three-pointed star. On the downside for Munich, there’s no denying the CLA has better technology, more luxurious appointments, sharper styling, and a 421-horsepower version from Mercedes-AMG as opposed to the M235i xDrive.
BMW doesn’t plant to go higher than 2.0 liters, one turbocharger, and a little over 300 ponies. In other words, the M235i xDrive is more of a competitor to the CLA 35 instead of the 45 and 45 S. Scheduled to arrive at dealerships all across the world in the spring of 2020, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is currently offered with one turbo diesel (the 220d with 190 PS) and two turbocharged gasoline options (the 218i and M235i xDrive). Joined at the hip with the 1 Series hatchback for Europe and sedan for China, the first-ever 2 Series Gran Coupe mirrors the front-driven strategy of Mercedes-Benz with the CLA-Class.
Quite a disappointing change of heart from the makers of the “Ultimate Driving Machine,” don’t you think? Across the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. will receive two versions of the F44 with all-wheel drive. These are the 228i xDrive (228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet) as well as the M235i xDrive (301 horsepower and 332 pound-feet), both of them auto.
In addition to the eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is also available with a Torsen-style differential featuring an actuator-related wheel slip limiter. That’s a drive split of 50:50 whenever necessary and predictable handling regardless of driving scenario.
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