BMW 2 series Coupé review (02/08/2014)
Taking in such scenic highlights as Dunmanus Bay, the Caha Pass from Glengarriff to Kenmare and the stunning road from Kenmare to Waterville on the Ring of Kerry, via such as Sneem and the Coomakista Pass, this is a journey notable for the beauty around you and the variety and challenge of the roads you traverse.
It is, given the amount of tourist traffic on it, a very busy route and large dollops of caution need to be exercised when you take it on. However, if and when you can find a quiet time, the roughly 150 km distance can be covered in not much more than two hours if you’ve got the right equipment for the gig.
Now — and without hanging myself publicly on the scaffold of irresponsible driving — it is possible to better the two hour mark, but for most drivers two hours 20 minutes would be a reasonable expectation.
I did the trip a few weeks ago driving this week’s tester, the BMW 2 Series Coupe fitted with the company’s ubiquitous two litre turbodiesel powerplant. A more familiar tool in such as the 520d and the 320d, this engine might not immediately seem like a suitable partner for a sporty coupe, but it does the job just fine.
Now it may be that you will get those for whom such an oil-burner is anathema when it comes to sports-oriented cars — they will moan about the lack of refinement, the engine clatter at cold starts, the gearknob rattle and the generally evident NVH characteristics — and they’d largely be right.
But the other side of the coin is an engine which, when you’ve got it singing, produces a very useful 135 kW (184 bhp), a top speed of 235 kph, a 7.2 second 0-100 kph time and a consumption figure of 4.4 l/100 km, which is on the right side of 60 miles per gallon for those of us reared with dreaded imperial measurements.
Thus — in my view — the plusses by far outweigh the minuses when you examine this particular diesel, and even though it might seem out of place in a sporty context, it is actually a fantastic companion even for drivers who are more demanding when it comes to performance.
Allied to an eight-speed automatic ‘box, the great wodges of torque this engine produces (380 Nm between 1,750 and 2,750 rpm) can be very usefully mined and exploited and, even on tough and demanding roads such as these, where a car’s frailties can be exposed, it proved to be a hugely entertaining cohort.
The 2 Series is yet another BMW model which was previously something else. In this case it used to be a 1 Series Coupe, but the Munich concern’s realignment of its model range, where some of the cars that used to be 3 Series models are now labelled as 4 Series, has been applied here too.
So, 2 Series it now is and none the worse for that, it has to be said. Just confusing to most people.
This 2 Series is quite a bit bigger than the 1 Series it replaces and that makes it a good deal more accommodating than its predecessor. That’s not to say you’ll get four adults in there in comfort, but it is a lot better than ostensible rivals such as the Audi TT, the VW Sirocco or the Peugeot RCZ. On top of that, it has a decent boot too.
The interior is a decent example to other manufacturers of how to get things right. With premium materials and a classy lay-out, there is little to quibble with here, although the €15k price gap between the baseline price and the cost of the tester does starkly illustrate how pricey it can get when you start adding optional kit.
But, from a driver’s point of view, the key to this car — aside from the usefulness and potency of the engine — is the manner in which it goes about its business on the road. This is truly a well sorted machine and I can tell you that if it was not found out on the run from Crookhaven to Waterville, then the chances are that no fundamental problems are to be found.
Even with the M Sport suspension — which comes as an option but was fitted here — the car did not become unbearably crashy or lose its composure at any stage. And even running on those generally damnable run-flat tyres, the quality of the chassis overcame everything. It felt so good and so right in any circumstance that you simply thrilled at what it offered.
It is a beautifully balanced machine which handles with the verve and composure a good rear wheel drive coupe should. Not alone is this a car with the capacity to get from A to B with alacrity, the quality of the ride and handling means it relishes it too.
Now I am not so sure my companion on this particular road trip !relished the verve of the 2 Series as much as I did — or my enthusiasm to explore the car’s potential, for that matter — but he certainly didn’t quibble about it.
For me, though, this was a car which I came to with certain reservations, and I have to confess that it exploded each and every one of them, and its abilities on some of the most demanding roads on this island perfectly demonstrated how superior it is to many of its rivals.
A little gem.
The Cost: from €40,713 — €53,277 as tested.
The Engine: a great — and well-tried — two litre turbodiesel, but one which might just be feeling its age when it comes to refinement. Other than that it’s a cracker.
The Specification: the usual BMW warning applies: good decent spec, but your wallet would want to be in rude health if you start adding kit on.
The Overall Verdict: an instant hit in this quarter.
