The new BMW X2 M35i is a 296bhp coupe-SUV with enormous grilles
BMW has teased its forthcoming X2 M35i crossover, which will offer 296bhp, four-wheel drive and a 5.4sec 0-62mph time
The appetite for high performance SUVs is showing no signs of slowing, and having targeted the very top end of the market with the XM, BMW will reinvent the X2 into a jacked up coupe-SUV with a 296bhp M35i variant this year.
The next-generation X2 will be unveiled in full later this month, but until then, BMW has released a series of teaser shots to showcase its new sloping-roof bodystyle and bold design elements.
In profile, the X2 looks very much like an X4 in miniature, with a high shoulder line and tapered rear window. Certain details of the X2 will follow in the footsteps of the XM with large illuminated kidney grilles flanked by a narrow pair of headlights.
The new model will be offered with pure-electric drive in iX2 guise, likely packing the fifth-generation eDrive motor technology found elsewhere in the range. Given the two powertrain types on offer, it’s possible that the new X2 will shift from the current cars ULK2 front-wheel drive platform to the CLAR architecture used in its larger SUVs, which can accept both electric and ICE power.
BMW has confirmed that the flagship petrol-powered X2 M35i will offer 296bhp and 295lb ft of torque, which is likely to come from a derivative of its B48 turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Drive will be sent to all four wheels via the firm’s xDrive system, enabling a 0-62mph sprint of 5.4sec.
Oddly, that’s half a second slower than the outgoing model, which could be a result of a larger footprint and increase in kerb weight. The current X2 M35i also carries a small 6bhp power advantage over its successor.
Despite this, significant progress is expected inside the new X2, which will come equipped with BMW’s newest iDrive 9 infotainment suite. Combining a 14.9-inch infotainment display and a 12.3-inch digital dial pack beneath a single curved sheet of glass, iDrive 9 will offer a more user-friendly interface with fewer sub-menus and quick-access functions. Expect BMW’s voice assistant, 5G connectivity and digital smartphone key technology to feature when the covers come off.
