At the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, there was a lot to get excited about at the BMW stand. The BMW i8 Coupe and Roadster were obviously big stars for the Bavarian brand and received a lot attention. However, the most exciting car at BMW’s stand was actually a front-wheel drive-based crossover — the BMW X2. Did you ever think you’d read that statement?
While at Detroit, we sat down with BMW North America’s Product Manager, BMW i, BMW M, the BMW X1, the BMW X2 and the BMW 2 Series, John Kelly. He wears quite a few hats at BMW, handling several different cars but the BMW X2 is the new big thing. So we spoke with him about the new X2, a car that has polarized the fan base.
There are a lot of enthusiasts who feel that the X2 is just a cash-grab, fashion statement of a car. They feel as if BMW just made a slightly different looking X1 and is slapping a higher sticker price on it. However, Kelly sets the record straight. “The X2 is a very different vehicle than the X1, despite sharing the platform.” he said. “So, on the exterior, for example, it’s much more sporty, extroverted appearance, with a number of unique design elements, really a new design language in many respects.”
And he does have a good point, as the X2 is very easily distinguishable from the X1. It’s much smaller, far sportier and more stylish. But it isn’t just product-man sales-pitch talk. Kelly breaks down the X2’s new design and how it’s so different.
“So you have the inverted Kidney Grilles, which we haven’t seen on a modern BMW. You have this very pronounced and high character line, so the car has a high belt-line and a low roof-line, so it gives it this wedge shape, which is characteristic of a coupe.” It is much more coupe-like than the X1, which is far more crossover-like. “You also have the Roundel on the C-pillar and when you go around to the back, you have a truncated rear. So the rear overhang is much shorter, by about three inches.”
It’s not just style, though. While the BMW X2 is based on the same basic platform as the X1, BMW worked hard to make it drive and feel much different. “The suspension and the chassis are tuned special for the X2. Everything is more sporty in nature.” he said. “We actually have three different suspension available for this car; there’s your traditional suspension, with fixed spring and damper rates, we have an M Sport suspension which lowers the ride height by 10mm, it’s not adaptive but it’s an M Sport suspension, and we also have the variable dampers.” The latter of which aren’t offered on the X1, so there’s a bit of sporty kit exclusive to the X2. It’s only a two-position system, with Comfort or Sport.
But BMW didn’t just throw in stiffer shocks and call it a day. Everything about the chassis and suspension is tuned specifically for the X2. For instance, Kelly says that the bushings in the front end is tuned for the X2 and there’s more negative camber.
The big issue with the BMW X2 that most fans have is that the brand is becoming more diluted, with too many models offering similar things. So we asked what Kelly felt about the X2’s market and demand. “As you know, small premium crossover have been growing rapidly. And we see that there are many customers that want something, similar to those customers for an X4 or X6, customers that want something that is sportier, more extroverted, something that is more likely to get noticed going down the road.” Kelly also feels that the X2 has a large market, as it price point, style and practicality will make it a popular car. It gives you exciting styling without compromising on practicality too much.
We think the BMW X2 is going to be a big hit, especially after seeing the reaction it received in Detroit. A lot of people seemed to really like it and when you consider its low starting price tag, it’s slated to be a very popular model among customers.
the front bumper feels like they held back on being aggressive, looks like they are saving that bumper for the X2M
X2 M35i, there is no X2 M
Seems like that X2 M35i will be popular. I know a bunch of very young dudes who really wanted a Bimmer alternative to GLA45.
If it sounds like the Mini JCW it’ll sell very well
‘Been hearing rave reviews about that Mini JCW. Not one bad word about it. Looks promising for the X2 then.
O :(
It’s because it’s fwd. Horatiu posted an article ‘couple of weeks ago where one of M division’s top guys said there’ll be no fwd M car.
oh i see thank you :)
Did he explain why M Sport appears to not be available in the US?
He did not. I can ask
Please, that would be great!
It is. You can configure one on the BMWUSA site.
Exactly. Weird.
Current BMWUSA.com X2 build only has 2 designs, Standard and M Sport X, https://www.bmwusa.com/byo.html#!/build/lines-worlds/djl2p8zt
there is no M Sport. BMW USA, please add M Sport with body-colored rocker panel and bumpers!
LOL All he did was describe the same two-position variable dampers that I have in my F60 MINI Countryman S. I still think the X2 is a badge-engineered Countryman, and nothing more, but for more money.
Yes. But I expect the drive to be better
You say badge-engineered, I say they’re based on the same platform. As is the X1 so that’s nothing new.
As a non-fan of Mini design (at least interior) I really like the X2. My only problem is the price…
The pricing does seem high but I reckon they’ve done it so that the Mini Countryman can slot in the bracket below.
The pricing seems artificially high though. A highly optioned-up MINI Countryman can easily cost more than an X1. Mine cost more than many. What’s the X2 got over the the X1? It’s as small as the Countryman is vis-Ã -vis the X1; in Europe, it has the same engine as my Countryman Cooper S has (B48 2.0 vs 2.8), and the interior is identical to the X1’s.
For me, the Countryman won out so that I could have manual transmission. In Europe, I could have had a manual X1, and maybe a manual X2.
I think you’ve got to REALLY like the X2’s exterior styling to justify the price.
You make some very valid points. The consensus amongst everyone (everyone, except BMW) is the X2 is overpriced. I think BMW wowed themselves with the exterior design they made on the X2 and decided they would overcharge buyers for it. Funny thing is, they’ll still manage to sell them as quickly as they can make them.
Oh, I definitely dig the X2, and I’ll be the first to admit my Countryman is also way overpriced too. If it were just about the price and features, I’d probably be driving a CX-5, but as we all know, it’s about a lot more than that.