BMW's 2 Series Gran Coupe
has one simple goal, and that's to exponentially increase the company's
customer base. Unlike previous cars, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is not a
reward for those looking for pure driving pleasure. With a smaller, more
efficient and more affordable BMW, the company wants to play to a wider
gallery, to introduce them to the brand before they plunge deeper into
BMW's waters. Globally that's a smart play, BMW knows that their
audience in the USA and Europe is looking for more compact, efficient
and cost-effective products and the 2 Series intends to provide them
with all that without compromising its inherent BMW-ness! That goal
however raises a few questions. Is there enough BMW in a car the size of
the 2 Series Gran Coupe? Previously affordable but dynamic products
from the BMW stables haven't done exceedingly well, so what makes the 2
Series Gran Coupe different? Will a small, affordable BMW be accepted in
India? It's going to be a tough sell, but there are merits to it.
Here's why.
 |
| Img Source: Google |
Under the hood is a 4-cylinder engine, it's not a first. In fact, the 2
Series engines are said to be some of the most powerful 4-cylinder
petrol and diesel engines in the entire BMW portfolio. Two of those
versions will be available in India, those are the 220d and the 220i.
Max power for the former is rated at 190PS and it makes 400Nm of torque.
This specification comes courtesy of two turbochargers of varying sizes
that work in two stages each. There's a low-pressure stage with the
variable geometry turbine and a high pressure stage integrated fully
into the exhaust manifold. This makes the engine punchy. You ideally
want to stay in Sport mode, it gives you a great big kick in the butt
when you want it to and is still comfortable to potter around town at
low RPM. Comfort mode on the other hand feels quite pedestrian and Eco
Pro, well…it's there to make a statement.
 |
| Img Source: Google |
The engine is coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission and if I
could use a word to describe something as mechanical as a gearbox, I'd
use 'scintillating'. Eighth gear, 2,000rpm, 120kmph cruise, you step on
the throttle and I've never seen a car drop four gears as quickly as it
did to squeeze the juice out of those four chambers. It's also one of
the most emission friendly diesel engines that BMW has made so far with a
diesel particulate filter, selective catalyst reduction and a NOx
adsorption catalyst enabling it to meet Euro 6d-TEMP emission
regulations.
The other engine that will be making its debut in India in the 2
Series will be the 220i, however, BMW has neither revealed specification
details of this engine, nor did we get to drive it in Lisbon. On to the
suspension and chassis bits then. There is some clever bit of
engineering and technology injected in this area. For instance, the 2
Series Gran Coupe has a near-actuator wheel slip limitation tech (ARB)
that was first employed in the BMW i3s. It reduces torque steer which
front-wheel drive cars are prone to, as well as brings more stability
and traction management when you go out and try to be an idiot!
 |
| Img Source: Google |
And yes, the 2 Series is a FWD sedan as its architecture is based on the
same platform as the 1 Series. Nonetheless you can feel the torque
steer kick in for just an instant before it's kicked entirely out of the
equation by the system. Even in corners, tight ones or those at high
speeds on the motorways, the 2 Series has the same sense of confidence
displayed by its older and larger siblings. What it does not have is
that sense of fluidity and precision that you get in the 3 Series for
instance. The 2 Series dynamics are sweet, but at the back of your mind
you get the sense that this is just not top dollar stuff as compared to
say what you get in the 3 Series. That isn't a bad thing, it's just not a
very BMW thing any longer.
The 2 Series has fantastic ride quality but to get the best out of it,
you need to configure this individually. The car we drove had the
adaptive suspension package with variable damper control, one of two
additional choices to the standard set-up that may be available at the
time of launch. The other being the M Sport suspension package that has
firmer ride with the ground clearance lowered by 10mm. The best mode I
found the car to drive in was Comfort which is genuinely comforting
without losing much of the firmness you'd need even if you were pushing
the car hard. Sport mode firms up the suspension a bit more but I really
did not find any need to go there. The adaptive and M Sport suspension
also has an anti-roll bar mounting with higher preload dialled in.
 |
| Img Source: Google |
There are a few other things that don't feel as BMW-ish as well. The
interiors are a mix of elements, some of which you instantly identify as
top-grade BMW bits and some which could have been better executed. The
LED highlighters on the door pads, and the dashboard that are another
interpretation of mod lighting are funky but a bit out of place in a
BMW. It would certainly appeal to a large audience, several Indians
would definitely love the effect, I just thought it was a bit garish.
What I did like is the large screen, though it could have been more
intuitive, it is simple and quick to use. We also tried out the personal
assistant feature which now comes as part of the connected suite of
features in a BMW. It worked sporadically, sometimes latching on to what
I wanted to say, most times though it just refused to understand what I
wanted. It took several attempts at trying to get the system to work
properly, eventually I had a small sliver of success. I don't think this
had anything to do with my Indian accent. Incidentally you use the same
greeting to activate the intelligent personal assistant as what is used
by MG Motor, that's the 'Hey', followed by the brand name.
 |
| Img Source: Google |
At 4.5 metres in length, the 2 Series Gran Coupe isn't a small compact
car, it is just a few millimetres short of the 3 Series. However, space
inside the cabin could have been better optimised. The rear cabin room
is a bit of a compromise, and it may not be the most comfortable over
long distances, because the front seat is placed too low for you to push
your feet deep under it and the under-thigh seat area does not offer
much support. Neither will it be comfortable for three to sit abreast as
it does not have a flat floor, nor is it wide enough door to door. This
is ideally a car for single individuals, or a couple with one child and
that is exactly whom BMW is targeting. The dashboard layout fixated
around the driver's seat makes it a snug, focussed area. It's clearly a
statement of the driver being in control and we couldn't agree more with
how BMW continues to develop this particular space.
 |
| Img Source: Google |
The 2 Series comes close to being a proper BMW, it's just not there yet.
I'd give better marks to the Octavia or the Jetta, both of which would
also be, I presume, priced better when the 2 Series Gran Coupe is
launched in India. And the Octavia will be coming with the RS badge
affixed pretty soon, and that's a proper quick sedan. There are a few
good elements to the 2 Series, but several that I found lacking as well.
The doors of the 2 Series Gran Coupe for one, don't close with that
sense of finality and German build that is second nature to cars higher
up the order in the BMW fleet. Would I recommend it to someone looking
at being introduced to the BMW brand? I'm not entirely sure. It would
matter on how well BMW prices this car. BMW India is going to introduce
the 220i and the 220d, when they should have straight off brought the
M235i X-Drive. 304PS, much nicer looking and significantly better to
drive, this would have been the perfect introduction for a first-timer
to the BMW brand.
0 Comments
Post a Comment