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Two weeks ago, BMW Group Malaysia teased the new F44 2 Series Gran Coupé by showcasing camouflaged versions of the car in public. Now, the compact four-door coupé has been launched in Malaysia, providing some competition to both the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan and this car’s main rival, the CLA.
For now, there will be just one variant available, the 218i M Sport, priced at RM211,367 on-the-road without insurance. Assembled locally in Kulim, Kedah, the car is eligible for a full exemption of the sales and service tax (SST); with SST, the price is RM218,800. Included is a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and a five-year free service package.
Powering the 218i is a 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 140 PS from 4,600 to 6,500 rpm and 220 Nm of torque between 1,480 and 4,200 rpm. It is paired to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission and sends its power to the front wheels; so equipped, the car gets from zero to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds and has a top speed of 213 km/h. Fuel consumption is rated at 5.9 litres per 100 km.
The 2 Series Gran Coupé is quite different from the rear-wheel-drive two-door Coupé – it’s essentially a booted version of the front-drive 1 Series. Design highlights include angled headlights that flank a conjoined trapezoidal double kidney grille, a frameless six-window glasshouse, and a short rear end with slim L-shaped tail lights, a gloss black horizontal strip and fake air vents.
On top of this, the M Sport package adds an aggressive front bumper design with larger air intakes, deeper side skirts and a sportier rear bumper with a dark grey diffuser-like insert. The single exhaust pipe on the left denotes the 218i as a three-cylinder model – four-cylinder variants get dual tailpipes instead. Full LED headlights, LED fog lights and 18-inch double-spoke style 819 M alloy wheels come as standard.
Inside, the 2 Series Gran Coupé shares the same basic dashboard design with the 1 Series, with an angular design, silvered switchgear, controls that are clustered according to their functions, and ambient lighting embedded in the Illuminated Boston silver decorative trim. Here, the M Sport kit adds an M leather-wrapped steering wheel, M-badged scuff plates and M-specific metal pedals.
As for infotainment, the 218i gets the base BMW Live Cockpit Plus system with an 8.8-inch touchscreen, an analogue instrument cluster with a 5.1-inch multi-info display, and the previous-generation iDrive 6.0 operating system. Unfortunately, Apple CarPlay functionality isn’t fitted from the factory (you can purchase it as an add-on), but you do get navigation, a Qi wireless smartphone charger and six speakers.
The list of standard equipment also includes keyless entry, push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents, power-adjustable sports seats with driver’s side memory, Dakota leather upholstery, a reverse camera and a hands-free opening bootlid.
Safety-wise, the 218i is fitted with the Driving Assistant package, throwing in autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. The Parking Assistant function is also available, complete with a Reversing Assistant.
In terms of chassis technology, the 2 Series Gran Coupé gets the 1 Series’ near-actuator wheel slip limitation (ARB), an advanced traction control system that is integrated into the ECU to react more quickly and precisely. There’s also BMW Performance Control and Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC) that use the brakes to simulate torque vectoring and a limited-slip differential respectively. Passive M Sport suspension is fitted as standard on the 218i.
Colour options available are Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Melbourne Red, Snapper Rocks Blue and Storm Bay, with black (with blue stitching and M tricolour striping) being the only choice available for the interior. Browse full specifications and equipment on CarBase.my.
The 2 Series Gran Coupé arrives at an interesting time for the compact premium segment, with the CLA now only available in full-fat AMG CLA 45 S form. Local assembly also means that the 218i undercuts the A 200 Sedan slightly while offering a comparable level of standard equipment, albeit with slightly less power. What do you think about the price and specs? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
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