The rivalry between Mercedes-Benz and BMW continues to heat up, this time in the subcompact coupe segment.
It used to be that the Mercedes-Benz CLA ruled the roost.
This time, however, BMW fights back with the newly released BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.
The swoopy four-door coupe takes cues from its bigger Gran Coupe siblings with touches like a sloping roofline, frameless windows, and the like.
All of these, by the way, are also present in the Merc.
This being a BMW, tech abounds in the interior with stuff like a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 10.3-inch instrument cluster, and an optional 9.3-inch head-up display.
This Live Cockpit setup complements the driver-centric vibe that is a BMW hallmark.
Buyers can go for either the 2.0-liter 258hp, 350Nm turbo four that takes the car from 0-100kph in 6 seconds, or a more potent 301hp version (the M235i) that goes from rest to 100kph in 4.7 ticks.
Naturally, the M version boasts goodies like a lower ride height, sport suspension, and beefier tires and wheels.
Both can be had in either front-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive.
The latter uses a system similar to the i3, known as rear actuator wheel slip limitation system.
This mouthful of a name essentially jhelps eliminate wheel slippiage while providing extra traction on any road surface.
And yes, the 2 Series Gran Coupe also has safety tech like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, among others.
The 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is expected to hit dealerships early next year.
