While we have been eagerly waiting to see the famous BMW M2, the automaker has introduced the low-end models of the 2 Series Coupe family. Welcome the 218i and M240i, both featuring a rear-wheel-drive layout, sitting at the bottom of the table.
The BMW 218i will come to Europe pumping out 154 horsepower (115 kilowatts) and 250 Newton-meters (184 pound-feet) of torque. As customary with other compact coupe models, this version gets an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The BMW 218i isn’t quite ready to attempt the Nürburgring laps because it can do zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.7 seconds. The entry-level model is basically a part of the summer update, which also consists of typical shift paddles on all four-pot grades to match the more muscular six-cylinder M240i xDrive. Please note the M Performance model will enjoy its own upgrades.
We have been anticipating it for a long time, and ultimately we see affordable variants of the M240i for Europe that do not have the xDrive. If you open the BMW Deutschland configurator, you can find the RWD M240i costing €56,000 at least, which makes the model €2,000 cheaper. Since it doesn’t have the xDrive, the compact coupe is slower than before. It takes 0.4 seconds more than 62 mph (100 km/h). It means the RWD model takes 4.7 seconds.
A welcome addition to the new BMW 2 Series Coupe is the availability of the iDrive 8. It will accessible on models developed from July. The system uses curved glass, as we have seen in other BMW models. Here it contains a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 4.9-inch infotainment. The 2 Series Active Tourer minivan owners enjoy this now. While the iDrive 8 is also confirmed for the M2, we do not know about its accessibility for the 2 Series Gran Coupe. However, a standard for the X7, the iDrive will also be typical for the M3 sedan from July.
Besides all these new facilities, the German luxury automaker also offers an Innovation Package and a Comfort Package for the 2 Series Coupe in the Old Continent. BMW plans to introduce the new rear-wheel-drive-only M2 later this year as the only model featuring a stickshift.
The pricing and availability information is available on the BMW Europe sites.