But what does this mean for the RWD 2 Series coupe and convertible?
It doesn’t matter how many sedans Ford and General Motors cut out of their respective lineups. For German automakers like BMW, if it’s a niche product with market potential, you’d better believe it’s going to get made. Like Mercedes, BMW sees opportunity with downrange models like the X1 and 2 Series coupe. This is reflected by Auto Bild, which, courtesy of BMW Blog, confirms what we knew all along: that a four-door Gran Coupe version of the 2 Series is coming to market.
BMW Blog’s own sources claim that the current 2 Series coupe will fly the coop in October of 2020 followed by a departure of the convertible in 2021. This will usher in a new era for BMW’s smaller people carrier. Perhaps to answer upcoming Silver Star models like the Mercedes A-Class, BMW will set a 2 Series Gran Coupe free on dealership lots by 2021 to stop Mercedes from sweeping up too much of the segment. Though previous reports indicated that BMW would scrap the rear-wheel drive platform for the entire 2 Series range and go with the front-wheel drive UKL platform, that move thankfully doesn’t seem to be the case. The coupe and convertible shall remain rear-wheel drive for now, so breathe easy.
What will get the front-wheel drive treatment is the four-door 2 Series Gran Coupe, which will also receive a hatch at the rear end in place of a trunk, keeping with the sportback bodystyle uprising. In short, the 2 Series Gran Coupe will be more of a rebodied version of the Chinese market 1 Series sedan while the two-door 2 Series we all know and love will stick to its traditional front engine, rear-wheel drive recipe. One source of comfort that BMW won’t do us dirty with a FWD 2 Series coupe lies in the codenames for each model. The 2 Series coupe and convertible will have chassis codes G42 and G43. On the other hand, the 2 Series Gran Coupe will be named the F44 alongside the F40 and F41 codenames used in the 1 Series range. Hallelujah.
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