Over the course of a single generation, the BMW 2 Series Coupe has established itself as a driver’s car for those who enjoy high performance in a pint-sized package. The 2nd-gen model retains its predecessor’s rear-wheel-drive layout, but is a MUCH more accomplished product.

What’s new with the 2 Series Coupe?

Aside from the 2 Series nomenclature, the Coupe has very little in common with the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Stick with me here, because this isn’t easy to explain, plus BMW made things more complicated than necessary by adding a 4-door 2 Series Gran Coupe to the range in 2021 – that car has nothing in common with the 2 Series two-door. The new 2 Series Coupe is actually based on a 3 Series chassis and, as a result, remains rear-wheel-drive (or all-wheel-drive, in the M240i xDrive’s case). The other 2 Series (the one with 4 doors) is actually a front-wheel-drive car based on the new 1 Series hatchback’s platform – and, therefore, quite unrelated to this Coupe version. It’s a silly naming convention, right? You can see why Korean brands took to naming their cars rather than assigning numbers to them.

Search for a used 2 Series Coupe here

Back to the 2 Series Coupe. With a new chassis comes a longer wheelbase, a wider stance but a lower height, which gives the BMW a really low-slung stance. The door handles sit flush with the bodywork and single-stalk wing mirrors closely resemble those fitted to M models The front grille is fitted with functional slats that electronically open when the engine requires extra cooling, but otherwise remain closed – to improve aerodynamics. The rear lights are very distinctive; they borrow some of the 3D design implemented on the revised X3’s clusters. Overall, it would probably be safe to say that this is currently the best-looking (or is that “least polarising”?) BMW on the market.

For the moment, Mzansi has been supplied with 3 versions of the 2 Series Coupe: the 220i, 220d and M240i xDrive. Enthusiasts hope that BMW will get to work on a full M version to succeed its best M car of the lot, the M2, soon.

Take a look at our BMW M2 stock here

A true driver’s BMW?

The M240i xDrive has more power, but is also all-wheel-drive now.

The original 2 Series stood out as something a little different in the BMW range. With its short wheelbase, the higher-powered versions could be a handful to control in extremis, but it sure had character. It felt like you could have fun driving it without having to achieve breakneck speeds before you’ll feel any real sense of excitement (which, unfortunately, is the case with most modern performance models – and that includes BMW M cars).

The new generation, with its 51-mm longer wheelbase and wider tracks (54 mm at the front and 31 mm at the rear for regular models and 63 mm at the front and 35 mm at the rear for the M240i) could have gone some way towards undoing the previous 2 Series Coupe’s instantly accessible (and ah, oh-so-satisfying) on-road demeanour.

However, after a few minutes behind the ‘wheel of the M240i, those fears were quashed. Despite now being an xDrive (all-wheel-drive) variant, the M240i is rear-biased with a sufficiently pointy front end. The steering is perfectly weighted and even the smallest inputs will set the 2er Coupe on the hunt like the darting nose of a sniffer dog. The low centre of gravity and seating position really allow you to bond with the car – you can feel what it’s doing around you with every adjustment you make.

Some of the on-power twitchiness has been trimmed as a result of the aforementioned changes, but the newcomer is still more rewarding to drive than a 3- or 4 Series thanks to that darty front end, not least that confidently planted rear. One thing you’ll want to spec is the adaptive dampers, which are optional, but effectively settles the 2 Series Coupe’s suspension on uneven tarmac, which is ubiquitous. It makes the dimunitive sportscar easier to live with on a daily basis, where the ride qualities of cars that aren’t fitted with the system seem overly firm on anything other than smooth tarmac.

The 2 Series Coupe engine choices

The 220i and 220d are the side acts to the M240i xDrive’s main event.

The M240i is the flagship – for now, we all know an M2 is coming – and it’s been given more power than before (even more than the original M2) with 285 kW and 500 Nm of torque. Zero to 100 kph comes up in just 4.3 sec, but it’s the instantaneous response of the engine that really gives it life. The 40i engine has always been a favourite of mine – the 3.0-litre inline-6 turbopetrol motor revs cleanly and delivers a seductive tune as it strives for the upper reaches of its rev range. It responds instantaneously to dabs of the accelerator pedal and the 8-speed automatic transmission’s rapid kickdown speed makes it immensely fun to execute rapid overtaking manoeuvres.

The supporting acts to the M240i are the 220i, which uses a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol to deliver 135 kW and 300 Nm and the 220d, a 2.0-litre turbodiesel with 140 kW and 400 Nm. You really need the power of the M240i to truly unlock the handling prowess of the 2 Series Coupe, but if the exterior design of the new model strikes you and you’re not all that fussed by performance, the 220d is the better bet. Its transmission is better suited to the turbodiesel mill’s torque delivery characteristics than the 220i, which can shift too many times to muster urgent acceleration. The 220d will also give you better fuel consumption, considering its claims of just 4.7–5.1 L/100 km.

What’s it like inside?

The interior is transplanted from the 3 Series without anything uniquely 2 Series Coupe about it.

Have you ever compared the interiors of the 3 Series and its 4 Series coupe variant? By and large, they’re the same. Again, there’s nothing uniquely “2 Series Coupe” about this new model’s interior, but it does have all the tech you would want from a modern, upmarket BMW.

The infotainment screen has a crisp display, responds to inputs promptly and you get wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. There’s also a subscription service, through which you can add options to your car after you’ve purchased them (providing your car has the hardware functionality) and then unsubscribe from options when you don’t want them anymore. This was first introduced with the new X3 and BMW will be introducing it on more models that come to the market. The over-the-air updates could even bring entirely new options further down the line.

As for the fit-and-finish of the 2 Series Coupe’s interior, it’s nicely put together and trimmed in reasonably premium materials. Well, I’d like to see less plastic masquerading as brushed aluminium in a R1-million car, but BMW’s rivals resort to the same tactic, so it’s a complaint of the entire premium segment, not just the 2er Coupe specifically.

The M240i, as a range-topping performance model, could do with a bit more pizzazz inside – there’s nothing that really distinguishes it a performance variant, although BMW could be saving the bells and whistles for the M2.

BMW 2 Series Coupe – pricing in SA

All BMWs are sold with a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan (Motorplan).

Summary

Still a genuinely fun car to drive, but the M240i is the one to have to get the most out of the chassis underneath.

The 2 Series Coupe demonstrates that BMW can still produce a fun-to-drive driver’s car without needing to alienate the faithful with a polarising exterior design. It feels more planted and confident than its predecessor, which some may enjoy, but it dulls some of the older model’s inherent edginess. The inline-6 motor remains an absolute beaut with surprisingly instantaneous power delivery (for a turbo) and immense grunt in any gear. It’s a driver’s car you can hustle through a mountain pass, take a breath on the other side, and then turn around to do it all over again.

While the interior has all the connectivity and features you’d want in a contemporary model, there’s nothing distinct about it; the M240i’s cabin, in particular, could have a bit more flair to it – after all, it’s the range’s M-fettled variant.

The 2 Series Coupe has competition from Audi in the form of the TTRS, but the Ingolstadt-based brand’s 2.5-litre 5-cylinder firebrand’s getting long in the tooth, while the Mercedes-AMG’s CLA AMG45+ is rather expensive (even relatively) and much more frenetic than the poised BMW. The real threat comes from Porsche, whose flat-6-engined 718 Cayman 4.0 GTS offers the purest driving experience in the segment, but it costs at least R300k more than the M240i xDrive!