Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
Set to take on the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, the 2 Series Gran Coupe from BMW is underpinned by a front- and all-wheel-drive platform. The Bavarian automaker took this decision in order to prevent cannibalization with the 2 Series Coupe and 2 Series Convertible.
There’s also the matter of the 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer, as well as the front- and all-wheel-drive Modular Front Architecture 2 from the three-pointed star of Stuttgart. When all is said and done, the UKL2 platform that BMW also uses in the 1 Series Sedan over in China makes the most sense for this application.
Two test vehicles have been spied this time around, one of them coming with suck-squeeze-bang-blow in the ballpark of the X2 M35i xDrive. The range-topping model in the 2 Series Gran Coupe range, therefore, promises 306 PS (302 horsepower) and 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) of torque from 2.0 liters of displacement and one turbocharger.
Equipped blue brake calipers, low-profile tires, double-spoke alloy wheels, and a lot of M Performance paraphernalia, the prototype in question is joined by a lesser model (notice the size of the brake calipers and rotors) with U.S.-style orange side markers. Both configurations will be identified by the F44 codename, joining the F45 of the Active Tourer and F46 of the Gran Tourer.
A plug-in hybrid (225xe PHEV) might be in the pipeline, and elsewhere in the range, customers can expect entry-level options such as the 216i and 216d. Both of them use the three-cylinder turbo engine families (B37 and B38) shared with MINI.
In regard to transmission options, the Aisin AW F8FXX eight-speed Steptronic automatic sounds like a clear candidate. A six-speed manual will come standard on lesser powerplants, and with a bit of luck, the seven-speed DCT from MINI could also make an appearance.
It’s not known when BMW will take the veil off the real deal, but sometime in 2019 is a given considering the F44 is supposed to go on sale for the 2020 model year. And yes, it will be available in the United States.
Two test vehicles have been spied this time around, one of them coming with suck-squeeze-bang-blow in the ballpark of the X2 M35i xDrive. The range-topping model in the 2 Series Gran Coupe range, therefore, promises 306 PS (302 horsepower) and 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) of torque from 2.0 liters of displacement and one turbocharger.
Equipped blue brake calipers, low-profile tires, double-spoke alloy wheels, and a lot of M Performance paraphernalia, the prototype in question is joined by a lesser model (notice the size of the brake calipers and rotors) with U.S.-style orange side markers. Both configurations will be identified by the F44 codename, joining the F45 of the Active Tourer and F46 of the Gran Tourer.
A plug-in hybrid (225xe PHEV) might be in the pipeline, and elsewhere in the range, customers can expect entry-level options such as the 216i and 216d. Both of them use the three-cylinder turbo engine families (B37 and B38) shared with MINI.
In regard to transmission options, the Aisin AW F8FXX eight-speed Steptronic automatic sounds like a clear candidate. A six-speed manual will come standard on lesser powerplants, and with a bit of luck, the seven-speed DCT from MINI could also make an appearance.
It’s not known when BMW will take the veil off the real deal, but sometime in 2019 is a given considering the F44 is supposed to go on sale for the 2020 model year. And yes, it will be available in the United States.
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