BMW’s compact rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, and one of the most fun BMWs to drive today – the 2 Series (codename G42), has already received its mid-cycle facelift—but you’d be hard-pressed to spot the changes. Even the latest technical update, which raised the M240i xDrive’s output to 386 horsepower, leaves the exterior nearly untouched. And while the current model remains one of BMW’s most engaging driver’s cars, the future of the 2 Series lineup is anything but certain.
Neue Klasse Influence and Digital Redesigns
Recent design renderings by Theo Throttle reimagine the G42 through the lens of BMW’s Neue Klasse design language. The Photoshopped concepts blend the compact coupe’s athletic proportions with cues borrowed from the new BMW iX3 (NA5)—the first production model to embody BMW’s next-generation styling direction. We’ve already heard from BMW that the Neue Klasse design language will trickle up and down across the lineup, not only for new models, but also for facelifts.
While the iX3’s upright SUV form isn’t a direct template for low-slung models like the 2 Series, the design exercise shows how the same visual philosophy could translate beautifully into a sporty coupe. A small kidney grille integrated into a black horizontal band, paired with clean surfacing and upright proportions, recalls the E30 3 Series of the 1980s—a car that once served the same youthful, enthusiast audience as today’s 2 Series.
At the rear, the concept repositions the license plate into the bumper to make room for wide, horizontal taillights that span the car’s width, interrupted only by the BMW roundel. Despite the modern light signature, the coupe retains its signature integrated trunk spoiler, while a re-sculpted diffuser adapts to the Neue Klasse’s visual language, emphasizing width and sportiness.
An Uncertain Future For the 2 Series Coupe
Beyond speculation, BMW’s official plans for the 2 Series remain unclear. According to sources, production of the G42 is expected to continue until July 2029, but no combustion-powered successor has been approved. There are rumors of a potential i2 model built on the Neue Klasse architecture, tentatively scheduled for 2028, but insiders suggest it could take the form of a four-door fastback rather than a traditional coupe. We should also keep in mind that by having a flexible architecture – CLAR – BMW can certainly bridge the gap between products by simply refreshing the design on the same platform and giving the ICE models a new life. For now, BMW has not confirmed any of these possibilities.
Until then, the refreshed M240i, and its M2 counterpart, continues to fly the flag for BMW’s traditional driving values—rear-wheel-drive proportions, inline-six power, and a balance of analog charm and modern performance. Whether its eventual replacement will preserve that spirit—or reinvent it for the electric era—remains one of the brand’s most intriguing open questions.
[Photos by theottle]