Other than the M2, the 2-series hasn’t really made any impact here in Malaysia. Given the price point and being in a segment between the 1 and the 3, the 2 series is indeed a hard sell. But overseas, that may not necessarily be the case. With that, BMW still continues to focus on this market by giving the 2-series a bit of an upgrade.

BMW promises that these new models will be launched in July this year around the world. What these upgrades entail, in a nutshell, you would expect new LED, some changes in the design elements as well as interior upgrades and upgrades to the connectivity services and systems.

Changes to the front of the car

Standard options include bi-LED headlights and customers get to choose if they want to get the adaptive headlights instead. You also get new kidney grills and the biggest difference is that the lights aren’t connected to the kidney grille if compared to the 3-series and 5-series. The air intakes unfortunately in my viewpoint is located at the bottom of the car. Yes it does make sense to put it there in certain countries but in flood prone Malaysia, that is a disaster waiting to happen.

More upgrades in the interior

The interior sees more upgrades, mostly aesthetics but it does improve the overall look and feel. From the instrument cluster to the air vents as well as an updated touch-sensitive navigation system, BMW still seems to be playing a little catch up in this aspect. No one has ever praised the interior of the BMW so far here in Malaysia especially when it comes to the premier car segment so they really are playing catch up.

New Rim choices as well as colour options

As well as the standard model, the Coupe and Convertible are available in Luxury Line, Sport Line and M Sport variants, and the line-up also includes a BMW M Performance representative – the BMW M240i/M240i xDrive. Mediterranean Blue, Seaside Blue and Sunset Orange have been added to the selection of exterior paint shades. And the choice of light-alloy wheels has also been expanded – to 17 designs in 16-, 17- and 18-inch formats.

At 4,432 millimetres in length, the BMW 2 Series Coupe and BMW 2 Series Convertible condense their sporting prowess into a compact package. And the four-seaters combine these dynamic talents with a high level of everyday practicality. The Coupe has a boot capacity of 390 litres, while the Convertible’s electrically operated fabric soft-top offers admirable acoustic comfort when closed thanks to additional insulation. Plus, it can be opened while on the move – at speeds of up to 50 kmh.

Operating concept and connectivity.

The high-resolution 8.8-inch central display in the new BMW 2 Series Coupe and BMW 2 Series Convertible now comes in touchscreen form if the optional Navigation system Professional is specified. This provides the driver with another way of operating various functions, in addition to the latest generation of the iDrive operating system (standard), the Touch Controller and the intelligent voice control system.

The new-generation models present the option of powering compatible smartphones wirelessly by means of an inductive charging tray, and Apple CarPlay can be accessed via a BMW navigation system. Meanwhile, the in-car WiFi hotspot provides a high-speed mobile internet connection for up to ten devices.

The standard SIM card integrated into the car enables optimum connectivity and access to BMW services via BMW ConnectedDrive, without the need for a linked smartphone. These include Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) with hazard preview, On-Street Parking Information and access to the vehicle via Remote Services. The all-encompassing BMW Connected concept seamlessly integrates the BMW 2 Series into the user’s digital life. BMW is also the first carmaker to offer Microsoft Office 365 users a secure server connection for exchanging and editing emails, calendar entries and contact details, thanks to the car’s built-in Microsoft Exchange function.

The list of assistance systems customers can specify includes Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function. The Driving Assistant is also available as an option and comprises the Lane Departure Warning system and City Collision Mitigation, which applies the brakes automatically at speeds up to 60 km/h (37 mph) in response to an imminent collision with a car, motorcycle or pedestrian.

Power and drivetrain

An extensive line-up of three-, four- and six-cylinder engines is available for the BMW 2 Series Coupe and BMW 2 Series Convertible, producing outputs from 136 hp to 340 hp. All the petrol and diesel engines are from the latest BMW EfficientDynamics engine family and feature BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. In addition to a basic concept that is inherently more efficient, all the diesel engines feature new turbocharger technology and enhanced common-rail direct injection systems. There are nine drive options to choose from for the BMW 2 Series Coupe and eight for the BMW 2 Series Convertible. The various model variants channel their power through either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. The efficient automatic comes as standard in the 220i, 230i, 225d and M240i xDrive Coupe models and 225d and M240i xDrive Convertible. The 225d and M240i xDrive variants of both the Coupe and Convertible link up as standard with the eight-speed Steptronic Sport version of the automatic, which offers a steering wheel-mounted manual shift function.

Unlike in Malaysia, those overseas can order the M240i and 220d variants of the BMW 2 Series Coupe with the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive. BMW 2 Series Convertible customers can specify xDrive for the M240i.