Good things in a small package

The 2 Series Gran Coupé, BMW’s smallest four-door coupé, arrives in India this year

The 2 Series Gran Coupé is BMW’s smallest four-door coupé and is set to be its most affordable ‘sedan’ on sale in India when it arrives later this year. Compared to its sedan siblings, the 2 Series Gran Coupé has one big fundamental difference — it features a transverse engine, front-wheel-drive layout, as against the typical longitudinal engine, rear-drive arrangement. This architecture is more affordable, space efficient and practical, but is not as fundamentally nice when it comes to driving dynamics. So, what is the ‘sedan’ like?

Exteriors

The 2 Series Gran Coupé looks like a pucca BMW on the outside, replete with the latest interpretation of the kidney grille (not oversized as on the 7 and X7), flanked by raked-back headlight units with neat double-barrel LED detailing. Lower down is an aggressive multi-layered chin, similar to that on other recent BMWs like the 8 Series. The flowing roofline and fastback-like rear give the Gran Coupé a similar profile to some of BMW’s GT cars, but not as proportionate or clean-looking. The 2 Series also gets a strong shoulder line, a chunky rear, and a variation of the carmaker’s L-shaped LED tail-lights. There is no real Hofmeister kink at the base of the C-pillar, but then this is not a rear-wheel-drive BMW, and that could explain its absence. While some of the cars ride on large 19-inch wheels, in India, the 2 Series is likely to get smaller (and more practical) 17-inch wheels.

Interiors

Get into the cabin and you soon realise that this is no bottom feeder — it feels just as nicely put together as other BMWs. The cabin is slightly narrower and a bit tighter than the 3’s, but the driving position is spot on and seat comfort is exceptional. The largish front seats offer generous side support, the cushioning is just right, and the best bit is that once you are nestled in, it just holds you in place.

What betters the experience is that everything is of very high quality. The top grain leather-wrapped steering, with its aluminium frame and thick rim feels great to hold, and the sintered aluminium paddles behind the wheel feel nice to use. BMW’s digital instrument panel is also tack-sharp, the iDrive touchscreen is bright and slick to use, and since the air-con vents and buttons that surround it are shared with the new 3 Series, quality levels are very good.

Moving to the rear seats, space and comfort are pretty decent. The seat’s backrest angle is comfy and there is sufficient head- and legroom even for six-footers — you will make contact with the roof if you are any taller. Visibility out is good too with the rear bench placed slightly higher than the front seats. Thigh support isn’t great, however, and you cannot sit three abreast in comfort.

The 190hp diesel engine, the same unit under the bonnet of the 320d, has a fair amount of grunt. It is refined at low and medium speeds and what is nice is that the midrange feels muscular when you flex your right foot; it has a strong 400Nm of torque, after all. There is less of a spike in the power delivery due to the Euro 6 tuning, and combustion is smoother, but since this diesel is still happy to rev, pulling it past 4,500rpm is very productive. It is quick too — 0-100kph comes up in a claimed 7.5sec, and there is no let-up in performance subsequently either. So, there is plenty of performance on tap. BMW has even specified it with an improved version of its 8-speed gearbox that is smooth and quick. So yes, if it is a diesel you want, this engine is unlikely to disappoint.

The ride

Even the ride is impressive. Now you would think that because this car is compact and BMW wants to make it fun to drive, the suspension will be stiff and the ride hard. This, however, is not the case. The ride quality is actually very pliant. The suspension is extremely silent (even over poorly paved roads), the springs absorb road shocks without tossing you around, and then the damping is superb; there is no real discernible secondary movement as the suspension settles very quickly after every hit.

It is no 3 Series when you get to corners, though. But then, how can it be? No front-wheel-drive car can ultimately drive like a rear-wheel drive. Still, as long as you do not drive it like you are on a rally stage, the 2 Series manages a fair imitation. The steering offers a good amount of heft and feel at low and medium speeds without it feeling heavy and then when the roads open out, it feels nice and connected. There is no early onset of understeer — a limiting factor on all front-wheel-drive cars — and BMW must be commended for that.

Drive harder, however, and you soon miss that rear-wheel-drive fluidity and balance. Go hard on the brakes before a corner and it seems to affect turn-in, with the 2 Series taking its own sweet time to do your bidding; and that numbs the experience. And then as you begin to add power on the way out of the corner, there is a bit of a shuffle too, as the torque overwhelms the front wheels. So, if it is not the ultimate driving experience you are after, the 2 Series Gran Coupé works well.

Pricing

The 2 Series Gran Coupé is expected to come to India with two engine options. The 220d driven here will be one of them, but then we will also get the 220i with a 192hp, 2.0-litre petrol engine. Prices in India are likely to start around ₹32 lakh, going up to ₹38 lakh for the top-of-the-line variants.

The 2 Series Gran Coupé works well on many levels. If you have always wanted a BMW sedan but could not stretch your budget as far up as the 3 Series, the 2 Series is sure to have tremendous appeal. The high-quality cabin delivers a genuine BMW experience, the performance of the diesel engine is strong, the ride is extremely comfortable, and it is pleasant to drive too. Even the zingy petrol with 192hp should be bags of fun. Yes, the cabin is a bit cramped, like it is in the rest of the cars in this class, and not everybody will fall for its looks, but if you are looking for a more accessible and affordable BMW sedan that does most things right, the 2 Series Gran Coupé could just be it. Just do not expect it to drive like a 3 Series.

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