BMW won’t give you a shift for the moment.
BMW’s new 2 Series Coupe initial lineup includes the rear-wheel drive 220i and 220d, followed by the spicy M240iXDrive. Next summer will see the 230i, and all three have one thing in common: they don’t have a manual transmission. BMWBLOG has learned that the Bavarians plan to diversify their range by offering an RWD version M240i. However, even that model will eliminate the stick-shift transmission.
BMW seems to want people to upgrade to the full-fat in order to receive a manual. There are many rumors that the top-of-the-line model will feature a three-pedal system. The flagship 2 Series will be available exclusively in RWD, unlike the M4 which is now available with xDrive.
We should also note that the M Performance model is stronger in the United States than it is in Europe. This may be due to stricter emission regulations. The US-spec M240i xDrive has 382 horsepower (285 kilowatts), and 369 poundfeet (369 Newton-meters), while its Euro-spec counterpart only has 369 hp (175 kW) and the equivalent amount of torque.
Power delivery is also different between the two. The M240i North American version offers all of the horsepower at 5,800 rpm, while the Euro variant unlocks all of them slightly earlier at 5,500. The US-spec M240i delivers more torque than the Euro-spec coupe at 1,900 rpm.
It is estimated that the M2 will have as many as 450 horsepower and 400 lb.ft (542 Nm), and arrive in 2023.