Scheduled to start deliveries late this fall, the second-gen BMW 2er Coupe may be joined by the G43 if BMW can actually make a case for yet another convertible model. Digitally imagined by Theo Throttle, the open-top sports car polarizes opinion as far as rear-end styling is concerned.
From the outline of the LED taillights to the light signature, oversized exhaust finishers, duckbill-inspired spoiler, and massive valance panel, there’s not much to like in comparison to the rear-end styling of the 4 Series Convertible. On the upside, BMW did a marvelous job with the front fascia by refraining from giving the G42 the ginormous kidney grilles of the second-gen 4er.
Just like the first generation, the G43 should borrow the force-fed mills and 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission of the fixed-head coupe. That’s transmission without an “s” because the Bavarians couldn’t make a case for a row-your-own stick shift, which is a missed opportunity in every respect.
In the United States, the 2er Coupe will be available in 230i, M240i, and M240i xDrive guises. The lesser variant relies on a 2.0-liter TwinPower single-turbo engine with 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque from 1,550 all the way to 4,400 revolutions per minute. The Munich-based automaker says that 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) is doable in 5.5 seconds, making it three-tenths slower than the Z4 sDrive30i roadster.
The M240i with xDrive all-wheel drive improves with two extra cylinders, 1.0 more liter of displacement, 382 horsepower, and 389 pound-feet (527 Nm) of torque from 1,800 through 5,000 revs. These numbers ultimately translate to 4.1 seconds to 60 mph, which is two-tenths off the Z4 in M40i flavor.
Over in the Old Continent, even the 220i and 220d are offered with the Steptronic eight-speed transmission supplied by ZF Friedrichshafen. With a little bit of luck, the M2 (chassis code G87) may follow in the footsteps of the M4 with a six-speed manual in addition to a torque-converter gearbox.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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