The BMW 2 Series, at least in the United States, has been the last mainstream BMW two-door model to remain true to BMW's coupe naming scheme. Those days may be numbered, though, based on the prototype seen in these spy shots. The sloping roofline, small size, and two extra doors seem to suggest that BMW has a Gran Coupe version of the 2 Series in the works.
Though the trademark twin-kidney grille isn't visible, the roofline of this car is a dead giveaway that this is some kind of Gran Coupe BMW. It's a dramatically raked fastback with a short deck at the back. There's also the extra quarter window behind the rear door where a Hofmeister kink is visible, and it's easy to envision a Gran Coupe logo embedded in the glass. Another interesting design detail to note are the headlights and the grille area. The lights are swept way back, much like the Z4 concept and the Z4 prototypes we've seen. And like the new sports car, there seems to be a wide area between the lights that can be filled by a thin, stretched version of the twin-kidney grille.
The overall effect isn't quite as successful as other Gran Coupes, though. The car's small size means that the greenhouse is proportionally larger than on the larger BMWs. The result is that it looks a little closer to a Gran Turismo than a Gran Coupe. This class of subcompact luxury sedans doesn't exactly have a history of elegant vehicles, though. Both the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class look a bit stubby and awkward compared with their larger siblings.
One of the other big questions revolving around this subcompact BMW sedan is what the drive wheels will be. Though the 2 Series coupe is rear-wheel-drive with a longitudinal engine, the European 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer break BMW tradition and uses front-wheel drive with a transverse engine, so there's no guarantee a more practical 2 Series would be rear-drive. Taking a look at where the wheels are in relation to where the A-pillars begin, it's tough to say with any certainty what engine and drivetrain this sedan will use. The bases of the A-pillars definitely look closer to the wheels than on the coupe, but not as far forward as the 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer. One detail that could support a rear-drive theory is that when the car was just a rumor, it was reported that there could be an M2 version of the GranCoupe, and we don't see BMW doing a front-drive M car, at least not yet.
An exact timeline for the car's launch is nonexistent at the moment, but if we had to guess, we'd say expect to see a production model in a year or two. There may also be a concept within that time frame to preview the car.
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Though the trademark twin-kidney grille isn't visible, the roofline of this car is a dead giveaway that this is some kind of Gran Coupe BMW. It's a dramatically raked fastback with a short deck at the back. There's also the extra quarter window behind the rear door where a Hofmeister kink is visible, and it's easy to envision a Gran Coupe logo embedded in the glass. Another interesting design detail to note are the headlights and the grille area. The lights are swept way back, much like the Z4 concept and the Z4 prototypes we've seen. And like the new sports car, there seems to be a wide area between the lights that can be filled by a thin, stretched version of the twin-kidney grille.
The overall effect isn't quite as successful as other Gran Coupes, though. The car's small size means that the greenhouse is proportionally larger than on the larger BMWs. The result is that it looks a little closer to a Gran Turismo than a Gran Coupe. This class of subcompact luxury sedans doesn't exactly have a history of elegant vehicles, though. Both the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class look a bit stubby and awkward compared with their larger siblings.
One of the other big questions revolving around this subcompact BMW sedan is what the drive wheels will be. Though the 2 Series coupe is rear-wheel-drive with a longitudinal engine, the European 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer break BMW tradition and uses front-wheel drive with a transverse engine, so there's no guarantee a more practical 2 Series would be rear-drive. Taking a look at where the wheels are in relation to where the A-pillars begin, it's tough to say with any certainty what engine and drivetrain this sedan will use. The bases of the A-pillars definitely look closer to the wheels than on the coupe, but not as far forward as the 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer. One detail that could support a rear-drive theory is that when the car was just a rumor, it was reported that there could be an M2 version of the GranCoupe, and we don't see BMW doing a front-drive M car, at least not yet.
An exact timeline for the car's launch is nonexistent at the moment, but if we had to guess, we'd say expect to see a production model in a year or two. There may also be a concept within that time frame to preview the car.
Related Video:
Featured Gallery BMW 2 Series GranCoupe spy shots
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