Business Plus

Gran Coupé Style For BMW 2-Series

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Bhas brought the popular Gran Coupé styling to its smallest saloon. The starts from €38,116 (€42,408 as tested). BMW has already showcased this stylish saloon format in the 8-series, 6-series and 4-series in hatchback form.

The 2-series Gran Coupé range includes the higher performanc­e, all-wheel drive M235i xDrive and a choice of four diesel versions. It is based on the excellent BMW 1-series, using the same dashboard and suspension. In 2-series Gran Coupé guise it keeps much, if not all, of the 1-series ability. Rivals for the 2-series Gran Coupé include the Mercedes CLA.

The 218i Gran Coupé version – tested for this issue – uses a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, petrol turbocharg­ed engine producing 220Nm.

In our test, the smaller engine never spoiled the car’s efforts to exploit the handling and quick steering. It may be the smallest Gran Coupé BMW makes but it has a convention­al boot instead of a hatchback.

I liked the 218i GC – overall it’s an effervesce­nt entry onto BMW’s sub-niche Gran Coupé ladder. Current finance deals look attractive: put around €10,600 down and you’ll pay €250 over 48 months.

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