New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe leaked: sleek 1 Series cousin returns

BMW is almost ready to formally reveal its new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, but thanks to a slip-up from its Chinese venture BMW Brilliance, we can see what the new car will look like ahead of time. 

As we expected from previous spy pictures, the facelifted BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe will be heavily influenced by the BMW 1 Series hatchback which was updated back in June. It’s worth pointing out that while the design of this leaked 2 Series Gran Coupe reflects the model we’ll get in the UK, it is a Chinese-market long wheelbase version (as denoted by the ‘L’ badge on the bootlid) which won’t be coming to these shores. 

In this car’s M Sport trim, we can see that the 2 Series Gran Coupe will ape the front end of the new 1 Series. The headlights, grille, front bumper and air intakes have all been changed. Around the back we see a similar rear light cluster to the one on the 1 Series, a reshaped bumper and as this is the range-topping M235 version, quad-exhaust tips. 

Although we first saw the updated BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe testing a year ago, we’re yet to see inside. We have a good idea what to expect, however, given that it should borrow the cabin design and technology from the 1 Series - rather than the 2 Series Coupe. That means a split-screen layout with a 10.7-inch central screen and a 10.25-inch driver’s display. The latest OS 9 infotainment software from BMW should also feature. 

Given the 2 Series Gran Coupe sits on the same UKL2 platform as the 1 Series we expect a similar line up of engines to the hatchback. The 1 Series ditched the ‘i’ designation for its petrol models (with no diesels offered) and this is likely to be the case for the 2 Series Gran Coupe as well. The current car comes in 218i guise but the entry-level model is now expected to be the 220, featuring a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine, which produces 168bhp and 280Nm of torque.

The range-topping M235 performance model will almost certainly come with an identical powertrain to the M135 - a turbocharged four-cylinder with 296bhp (which in the 1 Series is down from the pre-facelift’s 306bhp) sending power to all four wheels. 

What do you think of the latest BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe? Let us know in the comments section below...