We typically see high-end BMWs being pushed hard on the Autobahn but that’s certainly not the case here. A nice change of pace from pricey M Performance and M cars, this back-to-basics 2 Series Coupe is a lowly 220i with an eight-speed automatic transmission like all the other G42 models. It’s certainly no mile cruncher but it delivers adequate speed if you’re not too much in a hurry on the German highway.
Motivation is provided by a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine rated at 181 horsepower and 221 pound-feet (300 Newton-meters) of torque. It allows this refreshingly basic 2 Series Coupe to reach speeds of up to 143 mph (230 km/h) on a damp Autobahn. BMW claims the 220i is a bit faster but the highway was pretty busy that day, so no point in taking risks.
Equipped with the M Sport Package, this 2er painted in Sapphire Black was built before July 2022 when BMW started putting the iDrive 8 in the rear-wheel-drive coupe. The 220i is not the entry-level G42 flavor since the luxury automaker is offering a lesser 218i in some markets. It uses a detuned version of the same B48 engine with 154 hp and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm).
You’ll have to step up to the 230i for xDrive since the 218i, 220i, and 220d come exclusively with RWD. The M240i also gives you the option between two- and all-wheel drive while the range-topping M2 is a rear-wheel-drive-only affair. However, that could change in 2026 when BMW is rumored to introduce a first-ever xDrive version of the M2.
In the meantime, the regular G42 2 Series is likely to get a Life Cycle Impulse in mid-2025 but it’s too soon to say what exactly BMW intends to change. However, it seems unlikely the six-speed manual gearbox will ever return on a non-M2 version. The stick shift is a dying breed but the Bavarians claim demand is still strong enough to sell the M2, M3, and M4 with three pedals for the time being.
Source: Catching Cars / YouTube
