The current generation BMW 2 Series still has a few years of life left in it, but there are active discussions taking place at this very moment regarding its successor. For starters, it appears it’ll retain its rear-wheel-drive architecture despite some earlier rumors saying it’ll switch to a front-wheel-drive setup. That’s obviously good news for purist BMW fans who view the 2 Series as the current spiritual successor to the likes of the old school 2002 and E30 3 Series.
But BMW Blog has learned from one of its Munich-based sources that the next-gen 2 Series will no longer be built in Europe for the US market but rather Mexico.
There just so happens to be a new production plant in San Potosi, Mexico that BMW is considering. This facility will also just so happen to build the all-new 3 Series. Like the new 3 Series, the next 2 Series will also ride on the CLAR flexible architecture. One of the main reasons BMW is probably considering Mexico instead of Europe is due to the ongoing trade war between the US and the EU. While the US, Mexico, and Canada recently renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), no such equivalent has happened yet regarding Europe.
Because production planning requires a few years advanced notice and for the necessary tooling, BMW simply can’t afford to wait on this one. Production is currently scheduled to get underway in mid-2021. As far as we know, there probably won’t be another 2 Series convertible due to slow sales.
Interestingly, the 2 Series Gran Coupe will likely launch in late 2019 as a 2020 model, meaning it’ll overlap with the next generation coupe. However, it’ll be FWD and not RWD. Why’s that? It’ll compete directly with the also FWD Mercedes-Benz CLA and Audi A3 sedan. All-wheel drive will certainly be optional.
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