Seems like the team at BMW couldn’t just wait to show off. It was the South African website of the Bavarian automaker that gave the world the ‘unintentional’ first look of the upcoming BMW 2 Series. The site also details some of the configuration of the car that is expected to launch in 2014. The all-new model will be available as the 220i, 220d and the top model being M235i.
The 2 Series coupe has been a difficult secret to keep as there were reports of it being spotted testing both disguised and undisguised and a dekko into the interiors, all of which you can find in our earlier articles.
This Coupe is expected to replace the 1 Series range of vehicles except in the hatchback and GT variants. We had earlier speculated that the BMW 2 Series will most likely be powered by the same set of mills and have the same underpinnings as the current 1 Series range. Here’s what the leaked details reveal.
The M235i, the top model, will come with the same 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six engine that also powers its 1 Series sibling with output rated at 322bhp and 450Nm of torque. This will see the car hit 100kmph from standstill in 4.8 seconds with the automatic transmission. The manual version, on the other hand is just 0.2 seconds slower. Like any other BMW the top-speed is electronically limited to 250kmph.
Next in line is the standard model BMW 220i. It will be using a four-cylinder 2.0-litre unit to churn out 181bhp and 270Nm torque. Take a look at the speedometer and you can get figures of it doing 0-100kph in just seven seconds and will clock a top speed of 235kph. The third model is the BMW220d Coupe featuring a 2-0-litre turbocharged diesel unit producing 181bhp and 380 Nm torque, the auto-box-equipped 220d will hit 100kph from standstill in 7.1 seconds and has a top speed of 235kph.
The prices for the 2 Series start at USD 37,000 (Rs 24 lakh) which are obviously a bit on the higher side with customs duty in South Africa. The exact prices will be revealed closer to the European launch and its India debut will be somewhere in the second quarter of fiscal year 2014. We will not get the M235i in the sub-continent, but both the saner versions (especially the oil-burner) is on the cards to compete with the upcoming Mercedes CLA and Audi A3.
Source: WCF