Photo: CarPix
The fact that the next generation of the BMW 1 Series is going front-wheel-drive is probably no longer news for most car folks.
What may come as a surprise is that the 2 Series Coupe will apparently also go the same route, and the adjacent spy photos are a pretty clear proof of that.
What looks like a camouflaged 1 Series Sedan made for China with a slightly lower roofline is actually a prototype for the unprecedented 2019 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.
The model will be the first of its kind from BMW, created to steal some slices from the Mercedes-Benz CLA share of the market.
Just like the CLA, it will be built on an FWD platform, but with most engine versions getting an all-wheel-drive system either as an option or as standard.
Based on the UKL2 architecture, which was already previewed by the current MINI Clubman and Countryman, BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourer, BMW X1 and the Chinese-bound 1 Series Sedan, the compact four-door coupe could also be set for an M version.
The last part is still a bit foggy, since BMW, just said that its M division will no longer do a four-cylinder M car if it doesn't have some kind of electric support. Considering that the main reason for Munich to go FWD on its compact lineup was to save development costs, such a move would be a tad on the weird side, since a 48-volt mild hybrid system costs a pretty penny.
That said, the prototype caught by our spy photographers features distinctive blue calipers at the front and those looke like some pretty meaty brake discs for a run-of-the-mill model, so this might be an M Performance version.
Expect the 2 Series Gran Coupe to also spawn a two-door coupe version at some point, which will probably come at a later date, oddly enough.
Since Mercedes-Benz is actively working on an A-Class sedan, the 1 Series Sedan may become available in European showrooms alongside its 2 Series Gran Coupe brother. This means that despite the similarities apparent while under cover of camouflage may not be as apparent once the car goes official.
We expect the 2 Series Gran Coupe to be officially unveiled at the end of 2018 or early 2019, just a few months after the 1 Series hatchback with FWD starts its career. The U.S. market should be one of its priorities, unlike the hatch or the regular sedan.
What looks like a camouflaged 1 Series Sedan made for China with a slightly lower roofline is actually a prototype for the unprecedented 2019 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.
The model will be the first of its kind from BMW, created to steal some slices from the Mercedes-Benz CLA share of the market.
Just like the CLA, it will be built on an FWD platform, but with most engine versions getting an all-wheel-drive system either as an option or as standard.
Based on the UKL2 architecture, which was already previewed by the current MINI Clubman and Countryman, BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourer, BMW X1 and the Chinese-bound 1 Series Sedan, the compact four-door coupe could also be set for an M version.
The last part is still a bit foggy, since BMW, just said that its M division will no longer do a four-cylinder M car if it doesn't have some kind of electric support. Considering that the main reason for Munich to go FWD on its compact lineup was to save development costs, such a move would be a tad on the weird side, since a 48-volt mild hybrid system costs a pretty penny.
That said, the prototype caught by our spy photographers features distinctive blue calipers at the front and those looke like some pretty meaty brake discs for a run-of-the-mill model, so this might be an M Performance version.
Expect the 2 Series Gran Coupe to also spawn a two-door coupe version at some point, which will probably come at a later date, oddly enough.
Since Mercedes-Benz is actively working on an A-Class sedan, the 1 Series Sedan may become available in European showrooms alongside its 2 Series Gran Coupe brother. This means that despite the similarities apparent while under cover of camouflage may not be as apparent once the car goes official.
We expect the 2 Series Gran Coupe to be officially unveiled at the end of 2018 or early 2019, just a few months after the 1 Series hatchback with FWD starts its career. The U.S. market should be one of its priorities, unlike the hatch or the regular sedan.
Google News