BMW 2 Series Coupe breaks cover

BMW has released first details of its all-new second-generation 2 Series Coupe at least six months before the car enters UK showrooms.

Aimed fairly and squarely at keen drivers, the newcomer is set to arrive early in 2022. Prices will start from £34,980.

There’s no getting away from the sporting background of the new coupe. BMW bosses say the car is targeted at “customers at the sporty end of the driving system seeking an emotionally rich driving experience”. That’s all fair and well of course, but many coupes will still find themselves doing the weekly shop at the supermarket.

Wider, longer and lower than its predecessor — it’s 4,537mm long and 1,838mm wide, but is also 28mm shorter at just 1,390mm tall — the new 2 Series Coupe is also lighter, thanks to more aluminium being used in its construction. One thing which is immediately noticeable is the fact the 2 Series Coupe, unlike the larger 4 Series, enjoys a more conventional front end, with a shallower kidney grille design.

Retaining rear-wheel drive as standard — though four-wheel drive is available in the form of BMW’s excellent xDrive — the new two-door model also has a stylish cab-rear silhouette. And with its extended wheelbase — 51mm longer than its predecessor — BMW says it has a new “powerful and athletic appearance”.

It will be available in three guises from launch, each using an eight-speed automatic gearbox with Launch Control and Sprint mode functionality. They’ll be joined by a 241bhp 230i variant next summer.