New 2 Series Coupe will remain rear-wheel-drive as standard.
On course to be revealed in the third quarter of this year before going on sale next year, BMW has released a slew of pre-production images as well as select details of the all-new 2 Series Coupe.
A model that has remained largely under wraps in recent years with spy images or details having remained comparatively scarce, the newcomer will not follow the same route as the 2 Series Gran Coupe and indeed the 1 Series by becoming front-wheel-drive.
Instead, it will remain rear-wheel-drive like the outgoing F22 model with the option of the xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which will be standard on the top-spec M240i xDrive. An eight-speed Steptronic gearbox has been confirmed with a six-speed manual likely to feature on entry-level derivatives.
RELATED: Confirmed: Next BMW 2 Series coupe will remain rear-wheel-drive
Also reserved for the M240i is a new M Sport differential whose locking function is taken up by an electric motor in a move BMW said was taken in order to “optimise cornering performance with regard to traction and driving stability”.
Riding on a platform not used by the 1 Series or the 2 Series Gran Coupe, the coupe measures a reported 50 mm longer in the wheelbase department than the F22 and boasts a 12% improvement in torsional rigidity thanks to amongst others, new rear struts and wider front and rear tracks.
Set to be offered with conventional dampers or the electronic Adaptive M suspension, BMW has also overhauled the steering and brakes while offering the option of a new variable sport steering that is said to reduce steering effort when parking or manoeuvring.
Rear view
Still undergoing testing as evident by the heavy layers of disguise that makes the exterior styling almost impossible to decipher, the 2 Series Coupe has undergone several trips around the Nürburgring to have its handling fine-tuned with BMW stating that the eventual delivery and outcome will pay homage to the iconic 2002.
Underneath the bonnet, details of two models were divulged; the 230i whose 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder will produce 180 kW and the mentioned M240i xDrive that will usurp the turbocharged four-pot in the M135i xDrive and M235i xDrive Gran Coupe for a 275 kW 3.0-litre straight-six turbo. Despite not revealing any further details, BMW has divulged acceleration figures with the 230i set to get from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and the M240i in 4.5 seconds.
As indicated, the all-new 2 Series will enter production this year and likely arrive on South African shores in 2022. Before then though, expect clearer details and even images to be revealed.
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