BMW just announced some interesting updates to the fun-size, rear-wheel-drive 2-series. Beginning in March of 2015, the entry-level 218i will be powered by the 1.5-liter turbo 3-cylinder that motivates the base model Mini Cooper, while elsewhere on the choice sheet buyers will be able to spec a diesel-powered 220d with all-wheel drive. There’s a catch, though: BMW tells us these setups will not be available in North America. Bummer.
The 1.5-liter 3-banger will bring 136 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque to BMW’s littlest coupe. The organization says it’ll get the European equivalent of 42 to 46 miles per gallon, although at a bit of a expense to efficiency: The thrifty 3-cylinder will take a shade beneath 9 seconds to sprint to 60 mph. That nonetheless seems affordable to us, specifically given the competent 2-series chassis and availability of a true 3-pedal 6-speed manual. Consider of it as a rear-wheel-drive Mini Cooper, sorta.
Alongside the 218i, BMW will also roll out an all-wheel-drive version of the diesel-powered 220d, a setup the organization says will surpass the European equivalent of 50 mpg. With diesel torque to spare, such a model will sprint to 62 mph in a somewhat more sporting 6.8 seconds.
The poor news? Neither the thrifty 3-banger nor the torqueful diesel is headed to North America’s shores. A BMW spokesman confirmed to Vehicle and Driver that the 2015 lineup will stay the exact same as it ever was: 228i and M235i, in coupe and convertible kind, with optional all-wheel drive.
Of course, BMW is only interested in bringing to the U.S. the models that will sell well—meaning nicely appointed variants with enough motor to satisfy the Ultimate Driving Machine tagline we’ve been hearing because the mid-1970s. Still, we’d enjoy to get these thrifty 2-series variants more than right here. Guess we’re left carrying out what we usually do in this situation: staring longingly toward Europe and sighing.
2 turbo engines, available AWD, and a top that drops.
With the introduction of the 2-series convertible, BMW’;s rear-wheel-drive 1-series is history in the U.S. (The Euro-market hatchback is still available.) But despite the new moniker, the 2-series very much adheres to the formula of its predecessor. Like the 1-series, it is built atop a chassis closely related to that of the 3-series and it is available in this country as both a ragtop convertible and a fixed-roof coupe.
The 2-series convertible is a bit larger than the 1-series droptop, being about 3.5 inches longer and a full inch wider. Yes, this translates into a higher curb weight, but also more room for the driver and passenger. Cargo room is increased as well, as is the size of the hole through which you load stuff. And this smallest BMW convertible is still compact, and it should prove easily maneuverable in crowded cities such as New York and San Francisco. While the 4-series convertible has adopted the attitude of a stately cruiser, this 2-series looks to have its predecessor’;s more playful personality.
BMW carried over one the best features of the 1-series: The fabric top, which makes so much more sense than a clumsy-looking, heavy, and complex folding hardtop as seen on the 4-series. A softtop takes up far less room when folded and it gives more traditional visuals when raised. BMW says the interior is quieter with the roof raised thanks to additional insulating layers, and it can fully actuate in both directions in 20 seconds and at speeds of up to 30 mph. It’s available in black, gray with metallic fibers, or brown with metallic fibers. If you’ve spec’d the proximity entry and ignition option, you can use the fob to stow or unfurl the lid, too.
The 2-series convertible comes with a choice of 2 longitudinally mounted engines familiar to anyone who’s studied the coupe’s spec sheet: A 240-hp, 255-lb-ft 2.0-liter N20 turbocharged 4, and a 3.0-liter turbocharged N55 inline-6 good for 320 horsepower and 330 lb-ft. Fitted with the lesser engine, the convertible gets 228i badging as well as the option of xDrive all-wheel drive; it charges to 60 mph, BMW says, in 5.7 seconds in rear-drive form or 5.6 with xDrive. An 8-speed automatic is the only available transmission in the 228i.
Should your budget allow, we’;d recommend you shoot for the uplevel M235i. With its prodigious torque—75 lb-ft more than the 228i, for those disinclined to math—the top-spec convertible is claimed to sprint to 60 in just 4.8 seconds. (BMW estimates are notoriously conservative versus our real-world test figures, so it’ll be even quicker than that.) Not only that, but the M235i can be ordered with BMW’s slick 6-speed manual transmission. There will be no all-wheel-drive version available at launch on this model, but it will be offered at a later date.
In base trim, the 228i convertible rolls on 17-inch wheels; order the Sport Line or M Sport packs to nab 18s. The former package also brings a sport-tuned suspension, interior and exterior cosmetic bits, and sport seats. The M Sport bundle includes a firmer suspension, a 0.4-inch drop in ride height, an aero body kit, a bunch of M badges inside and out, and unique interior and exterior trim. An optional Track Handling package identical to the coupe’s can be ordered, too. The M235i, like its fixed-roof sibling, already is performance-oriented, so its options list is filled with tech and safety gadgets rather than sport-focused stuff.
As in other modern BMWs, a Driving Dynamics Control switch allows the selection of various chassis modes; this includes an Eco Pro setting that can de-clutch the engine from the driveline when coasting between roughly 30 and 100 mph. The 2-series convertible is also the first BMW to offer no-cost (for 3 years) wireless self-updating of the navigation system via 4G LTE connectivity. BMW says the updates occur several times per year.
As to the additional weight we alluded to earlier in the story, the 2-series convertible is likely to carry some 2 to 3 hundred additional pounds over an identical coupe. BMW’s effort to spread carbon fiber and the lightweight technologies of its i3 and i8 to its more workaday models can’t come soon enough. But we like this car’s spec sheet and its style—the latter marks a definite improvement over the sow-bellied rear-drive 1-series.
READ MORE: BMW 1-series to Return to U.S.—as a Front-Wheel-Drive Sedan
The 2-series convertible will make its real-life debut at this November’s L.A. auto show and arrive in U.S. dealerships in early 2015. The 228i will start at $ 38,850 and the 228i xDrive at $ 40,650 (each is $ 5800 more than the coupes), while the M235i will cost $ 48,650 ($ 4600 more). When xDrive is made available on the droptop M235i, it will cost an additional $ 1800. All models will face off against the Audi A3 and S3 cabriolets, battles—and comparison tests—we look forward to.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the future: BMW insiders inform us that half of the company’s lineup sooner or later will consist of front-wheel-drive vehicles. The 2-series Active Tourer is the initial such vehicle, and it has so tiny in typical with any other BMW that it could send shockwaves all through the enthusiast community. It is known as 2-series due to the fact it is bigger than a 1-series, not since it has anything in common with the 2-series coupe. It is a tall-roofed minivan. It comes with 3- and 4-cylinder engines. It is front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive is coming later). And it shares its platform with a Mini.
Why this departure? BMW figures there are a lot of young, active folks who need to have space for their wholesome and thrilling outdoor activities. Then there are these who need a spacious but compact second vehicle. Also there are mobility-challenged people who just like the straightforward ingress and egress of a automobile with a high roof. Several have little interest in the finer points of sports and overall performance vehicles as discussed among enthusiasts. The merits of rear-wheel drive? Turbo 4 or naturally aspirated inline-6? Must an “M” have an automatic? They could not care less. But they want a BMW, and the organization has listened.
Styling-sensible, BMW has kept the shock element to a minimum—perhaps as well considerably so. The exterior of the 2-series Active Tourer is as pleasant to appear at as it can be provided its shape, but there is not a single character line that we haven’;t observed somewhere else. A Mercedes B-class has a lot more pizzazz a VW Golf Sportsvan is far better resolved. Inside, it’;s a distinct story. Right here, the 2-series Active Tourer serves up a sophisticated and modern interpretation of BMW’;s layered interior design language. It is sensible, as well, though a lot of functions would be less difficult to access if they had their own control buttons as an alternative of hiding a number of menus down in the iDrive program.
The driver gets a thick, grippy steering wheel and a slightly elevated seating position. 2 elements, nevertheless, hint at cost-cutting pressures: The head-up show, which is linked to the optional navigation program, is projected onto a separate panel (consider Mazda 3), not the windshield. And the gear selector for the automatic transmission operates a conventional linkage and is hence significantly much better to use than the finicky electronic gear selector in the brand’;s bigger automobiles. There’s a crossover’s worth of cargo space inside—53 cubic feet of it with the rear seats folded.
Even even though the Active Tourer’s lineup will consist of a range of models with both diesel and gasoline engines, BMW is sending just the top-of-the-line 225i to the U.S. It comes with a 2.-liter 4-cylinder turbo and 8-speed automatic. Rated at 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, it is the most potent vehicle in the segment, such as it is. It just does not really feel that way. The power rush is sturdy, but the engine tone is subdued the general noise level is so low that we constantly underestimated the speeds driven, specially these driven in a straight line. The Aisin-supplied automatic is unobtrusive, but when making use of manual mode, much less gears would be a lot more. Here’;s a standard scenario: You want to get to a lower gear for a passing maneuver or an upcoming corner. But the transmission has place you in 6th or eighth. It requires way also a lot of downshifts with marginal rev changes to really get the engine where you want it to be.
The electromechanical energy steering is precise, but effort is a bit on the heavy side. About all we can say about the handling is that it’s fine—like a tall Mini, in fact—although enthusiasts will get in touch with for a firmer ride. Certainly, this car’s ride/handling balance is skewed to the comfort side, and we identified the auto easier to unsettle than one of BMW’;s rear-drivers. The Active Tourer’s higher center of gravity doesn’t aid here.
The 2-series Active Tourer competes in the compact-tall-wagon segment along with the odd minivan with sliding doors, such as the Mazda 5. As such, it’s new ground for the Bavarian automaker. Whilst it might extremely well be one particular of the greatest offerings amongst competitors in Europe, it is not a single that will warm the hearts of the a lot of enthusiasts who have been the core of the BMW brand for decades.
But hey, it really is the future. Far better get utilized to it.
