BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe Revealed With 296bhp Range-Topper

The 2-series name is something BMW has never quite seemed to know what to do with. It’s currently found on three largely unrelated cars. There’s just the 2-series, a rear-wheel or four-wheel drive coupe that serves as the base for the M2. Then there’s the 2-series Active Tourer, a front-wheel drive people carrier, and finally the BMW 2-series Gran Coupe, which is neither very Gran nor Coupe-like, and is basically just a saloon version of the 1-series hatch.

Anyway, since a new 1-series arrived earlier this year, the arrival of a second-gen 2er Gran Coupe was an inevitability, and here it is. Yep, in terms of surprises, this is down there with looking out of your window in Britain and finding that it’s raining.

As well as being pretty much identical to the new 1 from the B-pillar forward, it shares its powertrains with the hatch, which in the UK means just two choices. There’s the 1.5-litre, mild-hybrid turbocharged three-cylinder 220, which sends 168bhp and 207lb ft to the front wheels. That’s good for 62mph in 7.9 seconds and a 143mph top speed – that’s a tenth slower to 62 than the 120, but 3mph faster overall.

Then there’s the one that’ll likely be of more interest to you, dear reader, the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder M235. That’s four-wheel drive and puts out 296bhp and 295lb ft of torque. That means 62mph in 4.9 seconds and an electronically-limited 155mph top speed – both figures that match the hatch, although it’s slower accelerating than the old M235i Gran Coupe, which had more power thanks to looser emissions regs.

No matter which powertrain you go for, a seven-speed dual-clutch auto is your only gearbox option. We’re promised sharper handling than the old car thanks to a more rigid body, standard adaptive suspension and stiffer anti-roll bars. The Gran Coupe gets its own rear axle, again with more rigidity than before.

The inside, too, is nigh-on identical to the 1-series, and gets Beemer’s signature Curved Display, integrating a 10.25-inch instrument display screen and 10.7-inch infotainment screen.

Hopefully, you like looking sporty, because in the UK, the GC only comes in M-ified trims. The 220 is only available in M Sport guise, with pricing kicking off at £34,915, while the full-fat M235 starts at £44,435. Both are on sale now, with deliveries set to begin in March next year.