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.

BMW-2-Series-Gran-Coupe

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.

BMW Serie 2 Gran Coupé Compact

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 Serie 2 Gran Sport Tourer
BMW 2 Series Grand Sport Tourer – Rendering

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.

The most powerful front-wheel drive versions of the new 2 Series will also feature the xDrive all-wheel drive system, so customers around the world will have a choice.

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!

[Source: Motor.es]