Say hello to the new BMW 2 Series Coupe, a new second generation model series keeping the dream alive! The G42 line up is here for us to enjoy and experience, and for those who have never ever driven a 2 Series, I urge you to have a go in the new 2022 BMW M240i xDrive!
Following the first generation, which arrived on the market in 2014, the new model has to live up to expectations among enthusiast drivers and subsequently the success of its predecessor. Add this to direct competition, in the form of the Porsche Cayman and Toyota GR Supra, and the new 2 Series Coupe has a challenging task ahead when it comes to pure fun.
Available for a week-long test drive, a top-of-the-line M240i xDrive dressed in Thunderlight Metallic arrived at my door steps. Outfitted with winter tire, the M240i provided me with the option to take the two-door coupe onto the twisty mountain roads of Germany’s Schwarzwald, also known as the Black Forest.
Boldly different
With the current 1 Series having gone front-wheel drive, the new 2 Series shares the platform with the 3 and 4 Series. The CLAR platform offered the engineers the ability to increase the size of the car. It is 105 mm longer, 28 mm lower and 53 mm wider than its predecessor, which allows its stance to be bolder than before. The overall design of the new 2 Series reveals a mix of interesting new design details, as well as narrower single element headlights (a nod to the 2002 of the 1970s), oddly shaped taillights and a boxy nature rounding off the overall looks.
As a whole, the car has an intriguing mix of being relatively small and surprisingly muscular – much more than that its predecessor, which feels rather petite in comparison. Still, the looks of the new 2 Series have been polarizing, to say the least. Many have complained about the unnecessary complex taillights, while others touched on the grilles which open only when cooling is required. However, the new 2 Series has been widely accepted in the past few months, compared to its family members carrying those massive double-coffin grilles. The M240i seems to offer that unique characteristic we love within BMWs and which makes it a future classic.
Familiar cabin