{"id":82545,"date":"2025-05-23T06:33:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T10:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=82545"},"modified":"2025-05-23T06:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T10:33:14","slug":"bmw-highlights-2-series-gran-coupe-3-cylinder-engine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=82545","title":{"rendered":"BMW Highlights The 2 Series Gran Coupe With 3-Cylinder Engine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The idea of a three-cylinder, front-wheel-drive car seemed unthinkable a couple of decades ago. Yet here we are in 2025, and BMW now offers several models with a formula that diehard fans would never accept. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is already in its second generation, built on underpinnings a purist couldn\u2019t have imagined in the 2000s, let alone in the previous century. But Bavaria\u2019s smallest sedan isn\u2019t aimed at traditionalists; it\u2019s a volume-oriented model targeting customers seeking entry-level luxury.<\/p>\n

Once again, BMW has spruced up the 2 Series Gran Coupe with an M Performance version. However, we\u2019re not here to talk about the spicy M235<\/a>. New images from South Africa showcase a more humble 218, equipped with a small 1.5-liter gasoline engine. The turbocharged three-cylinder is the entry point into BMW\u2019s sedan lineup, though some markets, including the United States, don\u2019t get this engine, which is also used in MINIs. In the US, the \u201cF74\u201d is strictly a four-cylinder affair.<\/p>\n

These press shots show you can extensively customize even a base BMW sedan.\u00a0The compact four-door, shown in Fire Red<\/a>, features an M Sport Package and a fully blacked-out kidney grille. It skips the standard 17-inch wheels in favor of an 18-inch set, although buyers can opt for even larger ones. Essentially a sedan version of the latest 1 Series hatchback, this Mercedes CLA rival looks more upscale than its predecessor.<\/p>\n

While the exterior is a clear improvement, we\u2019re less convinced about the cabin. Call us old-fashioned, but we\u2019ll miss the iDrive controller and physical buttons for the climate controls. Analog dials are also an old pastime we\u2019d like to have back. There\u2019s more plastic than we\u2019d prefer in a luxury car, though we understand the 2 Series Gran Coupe occupies the entry-level position in BMW\u2019s lineup.<\/p>\n

For more premium interiors, BMW offers no fewer than four larger sedans (3,5, 7, and 8 Series), provided your budget allows. We might as well say five sedans, albeit the 4 Series Gran Coupe is technically a five-door liftback. The 8er is dying, so if you want one, hurry up, as production ends in 2026.<\/p>\n

With just 154 horsepower and an automatic transmission, this 218 GC isn\u2019t going to set your pulse racing. Then again, neither do the lower-tier Audi A3 Sedan or Mercedes CLA<\/a> versions. These cars exist to introduce younger buyers to the luxury segment. Automakers want people to upgrade to higher-end models as their careers and incomes grow. The 2 Series Gran Coupe also plays a key role in helping BMW maintain its lead in the premium segment.<\/p>\n

Photos: BMW South Africa<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The idea of a three-cylinder, front-wheel-drive car seemed unthinkable a couple of decades ago. Yet here we are in 2025, and BMW now offers several models with a formula that diehard fans would never accept. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is already in its second generation, built on underpinnings a purist couldn\u2019t have imagined in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":82546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=82545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/82546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=82545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=82545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=82545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}