Now that the refreshed 2 Series range has been unveiled, the clock is ticking, marking the days until the 2er will go out of production. According to our own sources, the 2 Series Coupe will go out of production in October 2020 while the Convertible will follow in 2021. However, while some have rushed to say that the 2 Series will be going FWD, our sources say that’s definitely not going to be the case. At least not for the entire range.

A couple of new reports from Germany claim that the BMW 2 Series range will be getting a new Gran Coupe model by 2021. The new car will have four doors and a hatch at the back, making a proper rival for the likes of Mercedes’ CLA-Class. However, the same reports claim that the new Gran Coupe will be based on the UKL platform and that it will be front wheel drive. According to our own source in Munich, that’s extremely likely to happen, under the F44 codename.

I know that probably sent a shiver down your spine, thinking that the days of the RWD 2 Series models are numbered but fret not, that’s not the case. The 2 Series Gran Coupe Auto Bild is talking about will basically be the same car as the 1 Series Sedan that is currently sold in China. And while the 1 Series range will definitely migrate to the FWD platform, that’s not going to be the case for the 2 Series Coupe and Convertible.

A clear indication that confirms our claim is the fact that unlike the 1 Series range, which will wear the F40 and F41 codenames, the 2 Series models will be codenamed G42 and G43. That’s a clear sign that they will be built atop the CLAR architecture and will keep their RWD setup. Furthermore, the M2 will continue to be offered. As for the Gran Coupe 2er, it will be a proper alternative for the A3 Sedan and CLA-Class and it will probably show them how it’s done.