Feedback

Next-generation BMW 2 Series coupe revealed

Lionel Kong
07/07/2021
BMW M240i

BMW’s small sports coupe returns still rear-wheel drive in 220i and M240i guises, no hybrid/electric model, coming to Singapore in late 2021/early 2022


Munich, Germany – Just when we all thought that electric sports cars are going to be the way forwards from here, BMW is showing us that there’s life in the good old internal combustion engine yet, with the announcement of its all-new, second-generation 2 Series coupe.

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe on show
M240i left, M220i right

The brand has announced that there will be two variants, the M240i xDrive and 220i available at launch. They will eventually be joined by the new 230i at a later date. There’s no official estimate on the launch date for Singapore, but we wouldn’t be surprised by a late 2021/early 2022 debut for the car.

Here’s the first-gen 2 Series in Convertible form


There’s also a turbodiesel-engined 220d, and interestingly, that’s the only version that has a 48-volt mild hybrid drive system.

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe on show

As it was with the first-gen 2 Series coupe that was launched back in 2014 – we tested it in cabrio form- , these are not large cars and the new design measures only 4,537mm in length. It is, however, 10cm longer than the old model. They’re strict four-seaters, with a modest boot space of 390 litres. BMW has stated that the new 2 Series takes plenty of chassis engineering cues from its larger sibling, the 4 Series coupe. 

You can still do this in a 2 Series Coupe, and that makes all the difference.

The quickest version, the M240i xDrive, has a turbocharged, 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine putting out 374 horsepower. Drive is sent to all four wheels, as denoted by the ‘xDrive’ in the model name, via an eight-speed sport automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 8.8L/100km and the 0 to 100km/h sprint is dashed off in just 4.3 seconds.

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe on show

The 220i is no slouch, with 184 horsepower coming from a 2.0-litre, four cylinder turbo engine. It’s rear-wheel drive, with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission and accelerates to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds. Fuel economy is rated at 6.8l/100km.





The 230i will arrive in late 2022, featuring the same 2.0-litre turbo engine found in the 220i but boosted to deliver 245 horsepower. Other technical details have not yet been confirmed for this variant. 

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe interior

Set to be built at the BMW Group’s San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico, the 2 Series coupe is getting its official launch at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England on 8th July 2021. 

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe interior

BMW claims that the “fresh, youthful and extrovert aura of the new vehicle concept is geared squarely to offering agile and precisely controllable handling in highly dynamic situations.”



The chassis’ torsional rigidity has been increased by up to 12 percent over the previous-gen car, and the design retains BMW’s legendary 50:50 front-to-rear weight balance for optimal dynamics. BMW states that the 2 Series coupe does actually share some chassis components with the larger 4 Series coupe. 

BMW 2 series coupe driving

The range will be fitted with BMW’s Operating System 7, which will include BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, BMW Digital Key, ConnectedMusic and Remote Software Upgrades. The dashboard will sport an 8.8-inch control display and a 5.1-inch colour display in the instrument cluster.

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe interior

The higher specification BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which includes a high-resolution instrument cluster behind the steering wheel with a screen diagonal of 12.3inches and a 10.25-inch control display, is available as an option, but going from the standards of BMWs already sold in here this might be standard fitment in Singapore.

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe on show

As is the case with BMWs in recent years, the cars will be highly customisable to suit individual tastes and budgets. For example the eight-speed automatic gearbox of the 220i can be exchanged with a quicker shifting sport transmission at extra cost, and the standard LED headlights can be upgraded to adaptive LED units as well. 

2021 BMW 2 Series coupe on show

A complete M Performance parts catalog, including larger wheels, sports suspensions and bigger brakes will be available for the 2 Series coupe, and going from experience some of these parts may come as standard fit on cars on sale in Singapore.

The big question is, will there be a top-spec, high performance M2 in some form? The M2 Competition is one of the best full M cars for Singapore, as we found out on the road, and not as bonkers fast as the new BMW M3 or M4.


Watch this Singaporean BMW enthusiast explain why the M2 CS is a unique car like no other


BMW is quiet on it for now, but we’re not counting that out yet, perhaps even one in petrol-electric hybrid guise. There’s also no word on whether there will be a drop-top variant, which the first-gen series had.

As it stands, the range has just been announced so local availability and pricing is still some time away. Based on current COE prices though, we expect the 220i to sit somewhere in the S$190,000 with COE range. 

Tags:

2 series coupe 220i 230i bmw

About the Author

Lionel Kong

An old hand from the bad old days of crazy COEs, the straight-shooting, ex-CarBuyer editor is back in the four-wheeled world. Rumours that he went to another country to start a Judas Priest tribute band are unfounded.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CarBuyer – Revolutionizing The Online Car Marketplace In Singapore

Buy Used And New Cars Online
Start your car buying journey with CarBuyer as we connect you seamlessly to the industry’s best CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealerships. As a one stop car online portal you can now buy your new ride, be it a pre-owned car or a brand new car from trusted dealers all over Singapore, all in one place. Our ever expanding listing of quality and covet-worthy cars, new and second hand, from both owners and trusted car dealers, will leave you spoilt for choice. Refine your search by vehicle type, registration year, price, mileage, engine type, transmission, annual depreciation value and more to find the car that best suits your needs, taste and lifestyle. You can even search for your car by dealer or directly by owner.

Sell Your Car In An Instant With Confidence
We all know how selling a car in Singapore can be a daunting task especially for a first time car seller; from trying to get a valuation for your car, finding a trusted dealer, to getting the best quote on your vehicle. CarBuyer understands the hassle and even the costs involved and have as such partnered with Huawei to develop a FIRST in Southeast Asia AI car valuation tool that is able to provide a car’s resale value at the snap of a finger. Backed with a consortium of trusted CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealers you can be assured that you are getting the best price for your vehicle and do not have to worry about any hidden costs.

The Ultimate Car Shopping Experience Online
CarBuyer platform is the first of its kind to be backed by Huawei’s Artificial Intelligence and cloud computing, enabling it to be able to offer users transparency and enhanced security, all with the one aim of enhancing customer experience. So come on over to buy and sell used cars online at the best prices at CarBuyer Singapore. Connect easily with dealers in real-time via our online video call feature, or schedule a test drive when you’re ready. Have some questions? Get them answered instantly with our chatbot moderated by our responsive team. Stay in the loop with our car-related tips, reviews and news. Learn the ins-and-outs of your car, as well as global and Singapore’s car updates at your own pace.