Review: BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe (2020-on)

Overview

To be released in Australia in the first half of 2020, the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is a small four-door sedan with a coupe-like profile. Manufactured in Leipzig, the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe range will consist of front-wheel drive 218i and all-wheel drive M235i models (see table below).

BMW F44 M235i: xDrive all-wheel drive system

The BMW F44 M235i is equipped with BMW’s ‘xDrive’ all-wheel drive system which consists of an electronically controlled, multi-plate clutch. In Comfort or Eco Pro modes, the system delivers torque to the front wheels but the multi-plate clutch can engage if a loss of traction occurs, or is anticipated, to provide a 50:50 front:rear torque split.

The BMW F40 M235i xDrive is also fitted with a mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential which can create a locking effect between the front wheels. The differential is integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission and the M235i xDrive also features a Launch Control mode.

Wheel slip limitation and BMW Performance Control

As standard, the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is equipped with BMW’s actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation (ARB) system. To control wheel slip, this system uses a slip controller in the engine control unit (ECU) rather than the control unit for the electronic stability control system – this eliminates long signal paths and relays information three times faster. According to BMW, the driver perceives wheel slip being brought under control approximately 10 times faster. ARB was first introduced on the BMW I01 i3s .

As standard, the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe has ‘BMW Performance Control’ for yaw moment distribution. When cornering, BMW Performance Control applies the brakes for the wheels on the inside of the bend before the slip threshold has been reached – this suppresses any initial understeer to provide neutral steering behaviour.

Body and dimensions

The BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is underpinned by BMW Group’s UKL2 front-wheel drive platform which is shared with the BMW F40 1-Series Hatch , BMW F48 X1 , MINI F60 Countryman and MINI F54 Clubman . While all F44 2-Series Gran Coupe models have struts which connect the suspension towers to the bulkhead, the BMW M235i xDrive also has –

• Tower-to-tower strut;
• Bracing elements on the front axle sub-frame and in the tunnel area; and,
• An anti-roll bar mounting with high pre-load.

Compared to the BMW F22 2-Series Coupe , the F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is 96 mm longer (at 4526 mm), 26 mm wider (1800 mm), 2 mm taller (1420 mm) and has a 20 mm shorter wheelbase (2670 mm). Furthermore, the F44 2-Series Gran Coupe has a 430 litres boot.

The BMW F44 218i has a drag co-efficient of 0.25 Cd, though the F44 M235i has a drag co-efficient of 0.30 Cd.

Suspension

The BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe has MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear axle; the optional M Sport suspension has a 10 mm lower ride height. As an option, the F44 2-Series Gran Coupe can be specified with Variable Damper Control (VDC) which has electronically-controlled dampers that adapt to driving conditions and enable the driver to select from Comfort or Sport drive modes.

Steering

The BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe has rack-and-pinion steering with electric power assistance. While the standard steering ratio is 15.0:1, the F44 M235i Gran Coupe has ‘M Sport’ steering which features a more direct 14.0:1 ratio and varied power assistance. The turning circle for the F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is 11.4 metres.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe includes dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, cornering brake control, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.

For Australian deliveries, the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is expected to be equipped with the following safety technologies as standard –

• Approach Control Warning with City Braking: operating at speeds from 10 km/h to 60 km/h for pedestrian and cyclist detection and up to 80 km/h for vehicle detection, the approach control warning system initially warns the driver if there is a risk of a frontal collision. In its second stage, the braking system is prepared for faster response and, if the driver fails to react, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is initiated to reduce vehicle speed;
• Lane Departure Warning: active at speeds from 70 km/h to 210 km/h, the driver is alerted by steering wheel vibrations if the vehicle deviates from its lane without prior activation of the indicators. Lane Departure Warning also includes an ‘active lane return’ function which uses steering inputs to guide the vehicle back to the centre of its lane.
• Lane Change Warning: active at speeds from 20 to 250 km/h, Lane Change Warning monitors the zones to the side of the vehicle. If the driver activates the indicators to change lanes, the system checks these zones and – if occupied – warns the driver via a flashing symbol in the respective door mirror;
• Crossing-traffic warning rear: when reversing out of a parking space, ‘Crossing-traffic warning rear’ warns the driver of approaching traffic that may intersect the driver’s path. If a collision is anticipated, the brakes are applied to reduce vehicle speed;
• Rear Collision warning: if a rear-end collision is anticipated, following traffic is warned by double frequency flashing of the hazard lights; and,
• Speed Limit Info: incorporates speed restrictions into the driver-selectable Speed Limiter function or Active Cruise Control.

Features: BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe

For Australian-deliveries, the BMW F44 2-Series Gran Coupe is expected to be equipped – as standard – with BMW’s ‘Live Cockpit Professional’ which has a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, navigation, a hard drive-based multimedia system, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, wireless smartphone charging and the ‘BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant’ which responds to the prompt ‘Hey BMW’ and enables the driver to operate functions by voice command.

Beyond this, standard features for the BMW F44 218i Gran Coupe are expected to include climate control air conditioning, cruise control, LED headlights, LED front fog lights, a rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors, 40:20:40 split and folding rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote central locking, power mirrors and windows, a tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel, height adjustable front seats, 12 volt power outlets, trip computer, tyre pressure sensors and an immobiliser.

Other standard features include –

• Head-Up Display: projects driving-related information (such as speed, speed limits, overtaking restrictions, status indicators, warnings from the assistance systems and route guidance) onto an area of the windscreen measuring 9.2 inches in size in full-colour graphics;
• BMW’s ‘Parking Assistant’: provides automated steering for parallel or perpendicular parking manoeuvres, and exiting parallel parking spaces; and,
• BMW’s ‘Reversing Assistant’: stores the steering movements for any section the car has driven forward along at speeds under 36 km/h. The system is then able to reverse the vehicle for distances of up to 50 metres by steering along exactly the same path as it took when moving forward while the driver controls vehicle speed. For the Reversing Assistant, maximum vehicle speed is limited to 9 km/h.

Features: BMW F44 M235i xDrive Gran Coupe

Compared to the BMW 218i Gran Coupe, the BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe is expected to be further equipped with 19-inch ‘M’ alloy wheels, a 464 watt Harman Kardon surround sound system with sixteen speakers, front ‘M Sport’ seats which feature an integrated headrest and more pronounced support bolsters, power adjustable front seats, a driver’s seat memory function, ‘Dakota’ leather upholstery and BMW’s ‘Comfort Access’ proximity key with keyless start.

The F44 M235i xDrive is also expected to be equipped with –

• Adaptive LED headlights with High Beam Assistant: uses a forward-facing camera integrated into the interior rear-view mirror to identify vehicles ahead and can partially masks headlight illumination to avoid dazzling other drivers; and,
• BMW’s ‘Digital Key’: uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The vehicle can be locked/unlocked remotely from a smartphone and holding the smartphone up to the door handle opens the car.

Visual cues for the F44 M235i xDrive Gran Coupe include exterior accents in Cerium Grey, a mesh design for the BMW kidney grey and bespoke bars in the outer air intakes and mirror caps.