Is BMW 2-series coupe true?

[Advevo]

We all have spy pics. Their is lot of talk of this car. But will the coupe of the one series really come.

Or do we only get a 5 door hatch a 3 door hatch and a cabrio?

[Harold]

It'll come. Guaranteed.

[LonghornTX]

Who knows.....What I do know is I will not be buying a cabrio, that is for sure, so if BMW wants my money they better give me a (relatively) lightweight, simple coupe with a nice I6 or a turbo 4. Make it under 35K loaded (i.e. premium, sport, navi) and I think BMW will have no problem selling the hell out of them. They just have to deliver on quality.......

[Harold]

No worries, we'll be seeing a 2-series coupe :wink: Whether it delivers on your other criteria remains to be seen, but I agree with you on what you're looking for in this car.

[Advevo]

Harold how can you be so sure.

[bmwfreak]

Well I agree with harold, only because we have seen the pics of the 2 door droptop version, so there should not be a problem putting a roof onto that car to produce a coupe. My personal logic tells me that if there are enough sales for BMW to make a convertable, then they will make a coupe as well since that will sell even more.

[spudw]

There is also a fairly credible picture of a coupe.

BMW has to get into the high-end compact game in North America, or they're losing out. They'll do it differently from the competition, though. Why would BMW want to just give us another hatchback? There is already the B200, GTI and A3 flooding that sub-niche.

It's more in line with BMW's image to give North America a sport coupe. Also, given the potential for linking it to the 2002, this would tie in nicely with the retro-nostalgia that has been predominant in recent years, and has reinvigorated the car industry. With the exceptions of the Z8 and the Mini (a big exception, admittedly) BMW has not much played the nostalgia card. This is a prime opportunity and there is definitely a market for this car.

Make mine a sparkling graphite metallic 230i with the M Sport package...

[Brookside]

Someone once said to me that you judge an automobile manufacturer not by their most expensive car but by their least expensive car.
It makes sense- any car manufacturer can tart up- pull out all the bells and whistles when money is comparatively no object.
But to make something that epitomizes the brand at the lower cost spectrum...that takes some doing.

BMW, as all you guys know, is riding a spectacular decade of financial and critical success- and now they're declaring it in all of their ads...
"we're independent...We take chances...." and words to that effect.
With the introduction of the 2-series, BMW is putting their reputation on the line...
this isn't the moment or the car for them to screw things up.

Is the 2 series real? The site hosts mpgs of rubber-clad mules in the cabrio version running around a track in Germany.
There's photos of mules cold-weather testing in Sweden. It's real.

Will BMW get the 2-series "wrong"? No way.
Enilab- the very reliable Bimmer insider who regualrly posts on GCZ's forum- has been subtly hinting for months that the 2-series coupe will be a knock-out-
an icon of BMW's line-up. There's too much at stake here to get it wrong- to fold the cards and go conservative.

I'm expecting something better, more cutting edge, when it finally appears, than we've been led to believe in the info and photoshops that are floating out there.

And finally, I'm going to trust Harold- it's coming. It'll be cool.

[Harold]

Damn, Brookside believes me more than I even do J/k



As the other members have pointed out, we've obviously already seen plenty of pics of a 2-series convertible running around. It would make no sense if BMW decides to put out a convertible-only model (that's a non-"Z" car, and I doubt this is a Z car). Like bmwfreak said, all they have to do is throw a roof on this car and voila, instantly more sales and a new car.



2-series coupe will appear. :roundel:

[Brookside]

Yeah Harold...I Believe!!

Here's two extended quotes of the most recent (late July, 2006) posts from two regular contributors to GCZ
who seem to have an inside track on all things Bimmer....both posts address the 2-er Coupe.

Q. Where are the prototypes?

EniLab - "Under the hatch mules - since the chassis architecture will be almost the same as the one of hatch (except the settings). Also the cabrio chassis & body need more development time - since it is the cabrio and the architecture is different to reach the right torsional stiffness, and also roof has to pass all the nasty testings.

There are also some 2er coupes cruising around - with original coupe body, but camouflaged as cabrio (the roof is mimicking canvas roof).

But 2er coupe will soon join the cabrio at hot weather testing in Death Valley - wearing original coupe body. As I was told we can expect FEP phases to be closed early next year.

BMW are also playing with an idea to debut 2er cabrio first, and coupe few months later.

I doubt we will see 2er in Geneva. My guess is Geneva will bring 3dr 1er, facelifted 5er, and 3er cabrio (X5 will debut in LA in December this year), while Frankfurt 2007 will bring the 2er. But this is just my guess. Unless E93 cabrio is shown in Detroit in January, and then there is enough space to show 2er in Geneva. But I still have doubt. Have to get some more detailed info after my sources end their vacations. ?"


Scott26: "The 1er cars currently pounding US roads are specifically hot weather testing engines such as the low end turbo expected to be badged as a 123i when the 3dr sports coupe launches later this year.

Several Cabrios are now undergoing Hot weather testing in the USA now.
Uniquely for a BMW Internationally the Cabrio will appear first before the Coupe placing it directly in the target area for fun seeking young and old Californians.

The Coupe will follow a few months after."

"FEP phases?" Anyway, it seems to be not a question of is there a 2-Coupe, but exactly when do we start seeing it?
The Frankfurt Auto Show is traditionally held in early September.
So, I guess EniLab is speculating that we'll see the 2-er, September 2007.
If this is the case then accurate jpgs from AutoBild could be popping up (hopefully) this spring.

[spudw]

That is phenomenal information.

Has there been any strong speculation about whether a 2er will have an i6 or a 4 turbo? My guess (and hope) would be the former. However, since they are developing a new 4 turbo for the Mini Cooper S, I wonder if the 2er would be designed with that in mind.

Mini forums have speculated that the engine will have a dual stage turbo (all but eliminating lag) and will generate 180 bhp for the MCS. Wonder if an equal or more powerful variant would be developed for an entry level 2, or would if they would stick with the i6s.

My sense is it would be a risk to stray from the i6, at least for North America. Especially if a BMW is seen to share an engine with a MCS.

Sorry for changing the thread's direction, but I think Brookside has more that adequately addressed the original question.

The 2 is becoming a bit of an obsession, so the more talk the better, from my perspective...

[bryan@mwerks]

I was just at the press intro for the new 3 Series Coupe, and spoke with a BMW NA official off the record. He spoke in terms that were intentionally vague, but reading between the lines he indicated that we will see the coupe variant on display at Geneva in the spring (along with the new M3). Once the coupe debuts, it will pave the way for the American market to get the 1 Series, probably as a 2008 model. The 3-door will likely bow at Paris in another 6 weeks.

In Europe, the coupe will probably get the same range of diesel and gas engines that the 3- and 5-door models will see. In North America, it will be naturally-aspirated Sixes only. They will probably do a 125i and a 130i, both with 3.0 liters of displacement, but tuned differently as they do in the current 3 Series sedans.

And for what it's worth, or what you prefer to believe, everyone I've spoken to at BMW insists they have no intentions of calling the 1 Series Coupe a 2 Series. Those rumors were started a couple years back with speculation that all future coupes would get even-numbered series designations. If that were true, I would have just driven a 435i instead of the fantastic 335i! Looks like this site might be up for another re-naming.:wink:

[Brookside]

That info sounds pretty logical-the nomenclature doesn't really matter.
Harold can take the site back to "1-Cult"!

[bmwfreak]

Agreed, nomenclature doesn't matter whatsoever, as long as BMW followthru a bring this concept of a small coupe to market, whatever the name.

[Deutsch]

I have to wonder myself??? We've heard nothing but speculation on the exsistence of this car, but nothing concrete from BMW. It wouldn't hurt for them to put a rest to the speculation, and at the very least let us U.S. buyers/enthusiast know what we have to look forward to if anything at all. However, such a car makes sense for BMW in not only expansion of the range but also keeping the brand accesible, especially to younger buyers. The average transaction price of an E9 series 3er is somewhere over $40k, not many newly college grads could even begin to pay for such a car comftarbly, and that's not to say that this car won't be pricey either. I'd buy one for sure though.

[Brookside]

Welcome Deutsch!

This from Scott27 on GCF. "To understand the visual appeal of the (2-series)Coupe and Cabrio from the regular hatch.
You really have to look at the E92 3er Coupe and especially the front end design of how the lights and grille differ greatly from the sedan.
This Is something very much carried over to the Coupe and Cabrio.

The 1er will get a slight update in 2007, nothing major to what people are expecting - New Intake designs for the front bumpers and new light graphics.

The 1er will retain it's unique appearance that stands out as " individual" amongst it's premium compact rivals.
With the 3er Coupe and Cabrio moving upmarket the 2er will slot in below it -
It's idea is to recreate the passion of the 02 series , The E21 323 and the 2dr E30 BMW's very successful small "identity cars" -
These models except the hatchbacks are penciled in for sale in the USA in 2008 as the USA customers had established a very loving relationship with the 02 series. .


2-series coupe

I found this on a Russian site...very nice photoshop interpretation and coincidentally,
it illustrates some of the design cues that Scott27 talks about.


3-series coupe