BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe to undercut Benz CLA

The first ever BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe will arrive in Australia from early 2020, with pricing expected to start at around the $50,000 mark for the 218i.

The small luxury four-door 'coupe' made its global premiere not far from Hollywood last week, at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, and the Bavarian brand is hoping the glamorous new small sedan will find favour with fashion-conscious younger buyers.

Like the new BMW 1 Series hatch -- which is launching in Australia this month – the new sedan is front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive depending on the model, liberating more boot and rear seat space, while the new FAAR platform architecture also gifts it with the latest whiz-bang tech.

We're talking a fully-digital instrument cluster and a choice of two large infotainment screens (8.8- or 10.2-inch) with all the latest connectivity features – including the ability to extricate itself from a parking space with a little smartphone magic.

As well as the touch-screen, iDrive dial, gesture control and steering wheel controls, occupants can manipulate car systems by talking to the car – literally.

Utter the phrase "Hey BMW, I'm cold" and the car will turn up the heating for example, similar in execution to Mercedes AI-powered MBUX system.

The new style-driven entry-level sedan from BMW could match and potentially outsell the BMW 1 Series hatch, highlighting the Gran Coupe's importance to the local line-up.

"One of our most important cars here is the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe," said Pieter Nota, BMW's global brand and sales boss at the LA motor show reveal.

"We are certain it will appeal to younger customers with its modern, striking design, and versatility. Not to mention the best in class driving experience and cutting edge connectivity,"

Despite the switch to front-drive, Nota called the 2 Series Gran Coupe a "true BMW" that is "full of sporty DNA".

We'll let you know what we think when we drive it.

While the baby Beemer's name doesn't roll off the tongue like the Mercedes-Benz CLA (or 1 Series sedan...), the first-ever BMW 2 Series Grand Coupe sports a sharp design, a range of new engines, seven- and eight-speed automatic transmissions and a versatile interior.

Mirroring the BMW 1 Series product range in Australia, expect two models to debut in early 2020: the 218i for about $50,000 and the 235i xDrive AWD for roughly $70,000. Like its hatchback sibling, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is unlikely to offer diesel power in Australia.

"The 2 Series Gran Coupé is the first of its type for BMW, which also means representation in a new segment for us," said Nick Raman, product communications manager at BMW Australia.

"It brings further diversity to our line-up and evolves our range of four-door coupes that began with the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe in 2012. We are making every effort to provide our customers with a car that combines those dramatic coupe looks with a highly-specified option regardless of the grade level," he said.

The entry-level BMW 218i Gran Coupe is expected to get similar equipment levels to the BMW 1 Series hatchback, which means 18-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto) and wireless phone charging.

An M Sport steering wheel, digital instrument cluster, head-up display and a range of driver aids -- like lane change warning, rear collision prevention and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) -- are also expected to be standard.

Propulsion for the front-drive BMW sedan is via a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (103kW/220Nm) hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe has a bigger boot than the 1 Series hatch (430 litres vs 380 litres) and features a 40:20:40-split folding rear seat back to open up more cargo space.

The compact BMW sedan measures 4526mm long, which makes it smaller than the recently-released second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA (4688mm), which also has a bit more boot space at 460 litres.

However, the new entry-level Mercedes-Benz CLA 200, powered by a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine (120kW/250Nm), costs around $10,000 more at $59,500.

That said, BMW has no answer for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan, which opens at $44,900 -- $2000 more than the cheapest sub-$43K A-Class and 1 Series hatchbacks.

At the other end of the scale is the M235i xDrive, which features the most powerful 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (225kW/450Nm) the brand builds. Hooked up to a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, the M235i will rival the $83,400 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 – and again it is likely to be around $10,000 less.

BMW relies heavily on its SUVs to deliver sales volumes but models like the BMW 3 Series and 1 Series are important contributors to the brand's success in Australia and internationally.

The new 2 Series Gran Coupe looks set to be another crucial model for the brand, particularly if it can bring first-time BMW buyers into the fold.