The German automaker has finally launched the 2 Series Gran Coupe here in India. BMW has nailed the timing for launching the 2 Series Gran Coupe during the festive season.
The 2 Series is available in two variants, 220d Sport priced at Rs. 39.30 lakhs and the range-topping 220d M Sport priced at Rs. 41.40 lakhs. BMW has chosen to launch the model with just a diesel engine, for now, the 220i with a petrol powertrain expected later.
Well, where does the 2 Series ideal fit? The German marque’s first-ever, small, four-door coupe is placed just below the 3Series sedan in the company’s portfolio.
The BMW has polarizing looks all thanks to the large grille upfront, all thanks to the new age BMW design language. The front fascia along with the signature kidney grille, a more stand-up and aggressive design, and raked headlamps which feature signature, double-barrel LED elements all come together to make a car which will turn heads for good. Looking at the 2 Series what is eminent is it carries over its design cues from its elder sibling the 8 Series.
Come to the side and you will see the Coupe like stance with the sloping line silhouette. The cuts and creases on the side give the vehicle a characteristic look. The 2 Series rides on a beautiful set of rims with a low profile rubber section of 225/40/R18, meaning driving hard over the bad bumps on road may damage the tyres. The frameless doors and extended taillights just emphasize the Coupe stance.
Step inside the driver seat and you will be welcomed by the familiar BMW like interior. Inside you get the Live Cockpit Professional with 10.25-inch full digital display. Apart from that the 2 Series also gets gesture control from its elders to control to the infotainment system. Inclusion of the Wireless charging, iDrive Touch controller, electronically adjustable seats with two memory functions (driver only), Panoramic sunroof, sharkfin antenna, it also comes loaded with kit like cruise control, paddle shifters, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, auto air conditioner, powered front seats, a rearview camera, six airbags, ABS, ESC, traction control and more all these come together to give it the essence that is a proper BMW and not a cheap car with cost-cutting.
Talking of comfort, the seats are comfortable and well-bolstered they hug well for those fast corners. However, for the back seat comfort, the BMW suffers from headroom due to the sloping roofline. BMW did try to address that with the scooped out headroom but it just doesn't do them justice. The knee room however is adequate enough. But, it is just not going to be comfortable to sit three people because the cabin is just not wide enough and the center tunnel hump is just too much. But, complying with the safety norms BMW did provide a proper 3-point seatbelt. Also, the seat is split into 40-20-40 section for easy access to boot from the cabin.
The boot carrying capacity at 430-liters which is good enough to load in luggage for your weekend trip.
Unlike other BMW sedans that conventionally feature a rear-wheel-drive setup, the 2 Series Gran Coupe gets a front-wheel-drive configuration. The 2-liter twin-turbocharged engine produces 190bhp and 400Nm torque. On the paper, the figures seem to be enough for the daily city runs but how does it perform in the real world we will find out once BMW India provides us the vehicle for a test. On paper the 2 Series sprints from 0-100kmph in 7.5 seconds.
This diesel engine is mated to an 8-speed Steptronic sport transmission if you are interested to take manual control of the car one can always do so by taking over control using the paddle shifters. The BMW steering wheel is pretty good to hold but it isn't a flat bottom unit.
The luxury carmaker also plans to introduce the petrol-powered 220i drivetrain to the line-up. In this iteration, the 2 Series Gran Coupe will be powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine putting out 192hp and 280Nm of torque.
Although the 2 Series is based on the X1 it is way different than the X1 in various aspects. The Gran Coupe will be rivaling the upcoming Mercedes A-class limousine which will soon be here my November and the second generation of the Audi A3 sedan which is expected to hit shores in 2021. Ideally, for now, the 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn't have a real threat in the Indian market.
Also, I would like the thank Navnit Motors, Lavelle Road, Bengaluru for providing me with the 2 Series.
The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is a brilliant car from its features and looks. However, it is best for 2 adults and 2 kids. Traveling long distances in this will be fun as long as you are at the front but, at the rear, you may feel claustrophobic. Anything more just go ahead and reward yourself with the 3 Series.