2022 BMW 2 Series Coupé revealed: price, specs and release date
On sale: Spring 2022 | Price from: £35,000 (est)
Being the bad boy pays in certain situations, and whether you’re talking about rock stars or cars, sometimes an angry, uncouth image is exactly what’s needed to sell. Take the new BMW 2 Series Coupé for example; while many of its rivals offer front-wheel drive, which improves fuel economy, reduces weight and has many sensible benefits over rear-wheel drive models, the BMW features the latter. In short, it’s bad to the bone.
It certainly looks like it has a criminal record. Both longer and wider than the car it replaces, the new 2 Series's alloy wheels (available up to 20in in diameter) have been pushed farther apart to help give the car a wider, sportier stance, and there are more aggressive front and rear bumpers, a wider and deeper front grille, and thinner light clusters.
The 2 Series Coupé is one of 12 cars in contention for the 2022 What Car? Reader Award, which goes to the upcoming model that people are most excited about; you can see all of the contenders and cast your vote here.
2022 BMW 2 Series Coupé engines and performance
Three versions will be available at launch. The entry-level 220i petrol gets a 181bhp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine and is the cleanest option for now; its official fuel economy is 44.8mpg and CO2 emissions are as low as 144g/km, but it can still reach 62mph in 7.5 secs. For most buyers, we suspect this will be the big seller.
Anyone doing enough miles to justify a diesel engine can instead choose the 220d, with its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that benefits from mild hybrid technology to help reduce your fuel bills. Indeed, officially, it can return up to 60.1mpg, with C02 emissions of 122g/km. With 187bhp to call upon, this version can hit 62mph in a shade less than 7.0secs.
And then there’s the range-topper: the M240i. This version gets a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine producing 369bhp and four-wheel drive to help lay that power down. It can hit 62mph faster than some versions of the Porsche 911 sports car, but will cost you significantly more in fuel than other 2 Series models. Consider that the price of performance.
We’re not expecting to see any plug-in hybrid or electric variant of the 2 Series, but a full-fat M2 performance car is coming next year, and will offer as much as 420bhp from its 3.0-litre petrol engine. That car will go head to head against the rival Mercedes-AMG A45 S hot hatchback. Whichever version of the 2 Series you choose, an eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard.
2022 BMW 2 Series Coupé interior and practicality
The interior of the 2 Series will be familiar to anyone who has sat inside the latest 1 Series family hatchback or 3 Series saloon. In front of your eyes there’s the same digital dial interface that can show you a variety of information, including the sat-nav map, plus BMW’s excellent iDrive infotainment system is presented on a separate screen in the centre of the dashboard, measuring up to 12.3in depending on specification.
We’re big fans of this system, because not only is it graphically impressive and packed with features, but it can also be controlled using a rotary dial on the centre console – this is easier to do while driving than poking a screen with your finger. New features can be sent to the system through wireless over-the-air updates.
A head-up display is being offered as an option on the 2 Series for the first time; it can put the most crucial information directly into your line of sight by projecting it onto the windscreen.
While a little more space has been liberated in the 2 Series’ boot, even an Audi TT can hold more luggage. That said, don’t expect a couple of suitcases or your weekly shop to pose any trouble.
Standard kit includes 18in alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats and three-zone climate control. Wireless phone charging is optional, as is an upgraded stereo from Harman Kardon, if you’re a true audiophile. Automatic emergency braking and cruise control are also standard, while lane-keeping assistance, rear cross traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control are optional.
2022 BMW 2 Series Coupé price
Prices for this new BMW 2 Series should start at around £35,000. That’s a sizeable increase from today’s car, and means that, unlike today's car, the 2 Series will be more expensive than the Audi TT. At the top end of the scale, the 2 Series will line up next to the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, but those cars are both larger and more spacious.
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