Now that the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is finally here, it’s time to talk about it. I don’t mean I’m gonna tell you what it’s about because we’ve already done that. Instead, let’s talk about its very existence and what it means for BMW. Make no mistake, the 2GC is going to be big for BMW. Very big.
The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe isn’t exactly the enthusiast’s choice. It’s front-wheel drive-based (even though it will have all-wheel drive options), it’s powered by engines no larger than 2.0 liters and four cylinders, it only comes with automatic gearboxes in America and the most powerful version only has around 300 hp. So it’s not exactly a purist’s sports car, now is it?
Having said that, it’s going to sell like crazy. At least here in America. Like it or not, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is going to be an absolute smash hit in the ‘States. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts to cannibalize 3 Series sales. Americans are going to lose it over the 2GC.
Why do I say that? For the simple fact that it’s going to be the cheapest way to get into a BMW in a long time. Customers in America absolutely love entry-level premium cars. Both of the 2GC’s main competitors — the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and Audi A3 — are both almost obnoxiously popular. I live in typical American, middle-class suburbia and I don’t have enough fingers to count the CLAs and A3s I see combined every day on the road. Low starting prices and attractive lease deals attract middle-class buyers like moths to a flame. The same will happen with the 2 Series Gran Coupe.
In fact, I think the 2GC has a chance to sell even better than both of those aforementioned cars. Not only is it newer than both, making it the hot new item, but it has all of the right marketing bait to attract suburbanites. It’s stylish, supposedly sporty and comes with a cool name — “Gran Coupé”, so customers will feel like their $35,000 front-wheel drive-based sedan is far more special and exotic than it is. Plus, for the same price as a well-equipped V6 Camry, they can drive home in a genuine BMW every day.
BMW’s used to have a reputation for being a yuppie brand. The brand as a whole may have strayed from that stigma over the past decade or so but it might just get it back with the 2 Series GC. Any young person with a decent paying job is going to be eye-balling the 2 Series Gran Coupe and its attractive lease prices. I know this because the same thing happens with the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA-Class in middle-class suburbia.
That’s not such a bad thing. BMW is going to make a lot of money with the 2GC. Because most of its development was shared with the 1 Series hatchback, it’s not crazy expensive to make. And because BMW won’t be able to keep it on dealer lots due to wild popularity, it’s going to be a big money maker for the Bavarian brand.
All of that extra money, you’d hope at least, will go toward developing new performance cars and EVs. So while you might not like the 2 Series Gran Coupe, it’s hard to deny its importance to the brand and just how popular it’s going to become.
WOW, HIDEOUS!! Besides the long gone Hofmeister kink, look at the angle between the FRONT DOOR BOTTOM WINDOW TRIM, THE A PILLAR AND THE HOOD. Thehood is several inches higher. Now, look at EVERY OTHER BMW and realize that IT IS SAME LEVEL. What hideousness1
As I’ve already responded when you cut & paste this elsewhere, don’t actually see those things driving it. So yes, what hideousness1?
worse, it shares that with a Honda civic.
HATE current Civic, this looks best in show of a dull segment.
Good to know what I’ll be getting stuck behind in the left lane.
Because it “only has around 300 hp.” ?!
I don’t think so. Shopping trolley drivetrain, boot lid instead of hatch a terrible design and an outrageous price sticker. Good luck finding finding customers with the matching visual defects and deep pockets.
300 hp. awd. trolley? Ok. Trunks are more popular in the enormous North American market, you don’t know the price sticker & this is actually BMW’s new entry level vehicle @ a lesser price point.
Even 2 series active tourer has good sellings, why do you think that 2 series GC it will not succed ?
The predictable response to any new BMW… People may be predictable, BMW isn’t.
So predictable it’s funny as typists race here to hate like lemmings competing to go over a cliff face.
what a bloated piece of shit … i hope the RWD coupe will be sleeker… this looks like an coupe SUV almost… kind of like the 1 series … crap … this is really a 1 series coupe vs a proper 2…
Agreed. This car is going to sell so much you’ll be seeing BMWs all around every you turn. Bit of brand dilution but it’s okay. Now makes it super necessary for BMW to get their act together fast on the premium/super premium end to protect brand value.
I wouldn’t be so sure. I wouldn’t expect to see more of these than, say, X1s. And if price is most important, why didn’t the 320i sell more? Granted, the engine in that thing is pretty lethargic, but you are right that many just want to be in a BMW.
But I wouldn’t expect to see this cross-shopped with Camrys as much as you think, either. The Toyota is a much, much bigger car. People buying a Camry want a larger car and will find this pretty cramped.
That said, we will definitely see a lot of them.
What is the target market for this car? UK? Canada? Mexico? China? East europe? Such car doesn’t bring Bmw higher margin. Bmw may sell 20.000 2 series GC each year but hgher margin begins with the 3 series.
People are buying SUV’s in the US and manufacturers are dropping sedans. Not saying its a bad sedan but most of its sales will come at the expense of the 3 series. I don’t see CLA’s or A3’s in South Carolina so I don’t think it will be a big seller and in fact the X1 isn’t that big in the US.