BMW will reportedly phase out the X4, a model that has been in the company's portfolio for almost a decade already. That is why exactly the all-new X2 has grown so much in all directions and looks exactly like a miniature X4.
The carmaker that practically invented this type of body, the Coupe SUV, is preparing to retire the X4, the model that they have been selling since 2014. BMW revealed the X2 this week, with a tilted rear window and sloping roofline, which makes it look like a baby X4 more than it ever did.
Furthermore, the car comes equipped with xDrive all-wheel drive system as standard in the United States. And it turns out there is a good reason for all of the changes that BMW operated on the formerly toned-down model.
The 2024 BMW X2 has grown in every single direction. It is 194 millimeters (7.6 inches) longer for a total of 4,554 millimeters (179 inches), 21 millimeters (0.8 inches) wider (1,845 millimeters/72.6 inches), and 64 millimeters (2.5 inches) taller, this time going as high as 1,590 millimeters (62.6 inches).
Photo: BMW
The BMW X4 is 187.6 inches long, 75.5 inches wide, and 63.8 inches tall. The figures bring the X2 very close to the X4. The extra inches in size translate into more space on board for the occupants as well as into a larger cargo space (25.3 cubic feet or 51.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded). That is BMW X1 territory, and keep in mind that the BMW does not have the coupe silhouette that compromises on space by default.
Beyond the more aggressive styling, larger alloy wheels, and larger overall proportions, what brings it even closer is the new high-end equipment, as if BMW is trying to fill a future gap that will pop open once the X4 is retired. One thing is for sure: the Munich-based carmaker is not planning an internal combustion engine-powered next-generation X4.
Therefore, if it is not going to be electric, there is not going to be any X4 at all. BMW might decide to give it one more chance in a zero-emission variant, which would be due to enter production at the BMW plant in Debrecen, Hungary. That is where the carmaker is building a battery plant for the brand's electric cars, following a $2 billion investment. That is how they are preparing for an all-electric future.
BMW prepared the X2 for this bigger part of its career on the market in terms of price as well. The model is now $5,500 more expensive than its predecessor, starting at $42,995, with the destination fee included.
Photo: BMW
The X2 has an ace up its sleeve. It already has an electric variant in the shape of the iX2 xDrive30, powered by two electric motors that provide a total output of 313 horsepower and 364 lb-ft (494 Nm) of torque. The car does the 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) run in 5.6 seconds and drives as far as 279 miles (449 kilometers) on a single charge.
So if BMW is going to phase out the X4, as reported by BMW Blog, the X2 is ready to step up and fill those bigger shoes. It remains to be seen if an M version will be powerful enough to fill the void left by the X4 M, now rated at 473 horsepower, with the Competition version getting 503 horsepower.
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