Last year, rumors from Germany have put the BMW community on alert. According to a report at the time, BMW was toying with the idea of moving the 2 Series models (coupe and convertible) onto the newUKL front-wheel drive platform. Around the same time, Klaus Fröhlich – member of the Board of Management for BMW AG, Development – said a decision on the platform of choice for the two family of cars will be made by the end of 2015.
“The 1 Series is about conquest sales, so it has to be a true BMW, Fröhlich said. “We don’t have to decide until the end of this year.”
2016 is here and according to sources, BMW might have made up their mind. A report from Spain – citing sources who have been right on the dot before – say that major changes are coming to the BMW 1 and 2 Series families.
Firstly, the 1 Series hatchbacks – 3 and 5 doors – are rumored to move up to the 2 Series lineup, but will switch over to the UKL front-wheel drive platform. Secondly, the “1 Series Sedan” will be instead sold under the 2 Series moniker and will – of course – be a front-wheel drive as well. Third, the 2 Series Coupe and Convertible will remain on a rear-wheel drive platform – the 35up architecture which launches with the upcoming G30 5 Series.
Moving up the 1 Series models will allow BMW to focus on a new segment, but more on that in the next article.
The 2 Series family of compact cars will further grow in size with the addition of a BMW 2 Series Gran Turismo, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and a BMW 2 Series Grand Sport Tourer. The 2 GT will have a five-door coupe design style as the 5 GT Series, but with a sportier approach and also more refined. The 2 GC will follow the same design principle as the current Gran Coupes, but with tighter proportions.
BMW is an expert in new niches in the market and it’s not a brand that likes to “copy” – the company takes pride in experiments. And it has done so with a Coupe SUV. The design team is putting together a “shooting brake” concept which is rumored to be significantly different than what you would see on a Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake. Therefore, towards the second half of 2020, BMW will present the 2 Series Grand Sport Tourer – a redefinition of the Shooting Brake with more style and personality than the Gran Coupe or Gran Turismo, and also with great functionality.
Whether all models will make into the final product plan remains to be seen – knowing that BMW has been very agile lately with killing and/or creating new projects – but nonetheless, some changes will occur past 2018.
Stay tuned for more!
