The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Successor Might Be A Rear-Drive EV

Although the first Neue Klasse product, the all-electric BMW iX3, hasn’t even launched yet, the automaker is still getting ready for its next generation of EVs and combustion-powered cars. One of the products rumored to be in development is the i1 hatchback, which would serve as a spiritual successor to the original, carbon-bodied i3 EV thanks to its compact design and rear- or all-wheel-drive Neue Klasse platform. But the i1 might also spawn an i2 variant, a compact four-door sedan that sounds suspiciously like the front-drive 2 Series Gran Coupe, meaning the next entry-level Bimmer might actually get its power from the rear wheels again.

The Neue Klasse Architecture Goes Small

Although initially planned for the next-generation BMW 3 Series and X3 (as well as their all-electric variants), the BMW Neue Klasse architecture is modular, so it’ll eventually underpin smaller and larger cars. That includes the successor to the overseas-only 1 Series hatchback, as well as our four-door 2 Series GC. And like its bigger siblings, the entry-level BMWs are expected to offer electric powertrains, either as the sole offering or in conjunction with internal-combustion models. In the case of the rumored i1 and i2, the EVs will transition back to rear-wheel drive, following two generations of entry-level products that were front-drive – the two-door 2 Series coupe notwithstanding.

Furthermore, the smallest Neue Klasse variants will still use BMW’s sixth-generation battery technology, which replaces prismatic cells with more energy-dense cylindrical ones. The Gen6 battery cells will come in two different heights, and we presume the compact i1 and i2 will use the shorter 3.7-inch units instead of the 4.7-inchers intended for SUVs and larger cars. Neue Klasse EVs are expected to incorporate the battery directly into the unibody’s floor, saving space and reducing weight, and it stands to reason the electric variants of the 1 and 2 Series will follow suit.

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The Compact BMW Is Returning To Its Roots

The original E8x BMW 1 Series, introduced for the 2005 model year, was a novel rear-drive hatchback that competed with front-drive rivals like the Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk5 and second-generation Ford Focus ST. But while the first- and second-generation BMW 1 Series was a rear-drive affair, BMW committed brand heresy by introducing its first-ever front-drive model, the F4x-generation 1/2 Series (which also included ungainly five- and seven-seater “Active Tourer” MPV variants). To be fair, BMW’s current front-drive lineup isn’t terrible as far as entry-level cars are concerned, but the styling is far too forward-oriented, lacking the pure, simple flair of BMWs of old.

However, if the rumors are true BMW will return to entry-level roots that hark back to the original Neue Klasse rear-drive sedans and coupes of the 1960s, as well as the legendary 2002. The rear-drive, electric i1 and i2 will also give the company a compelling rival to the all-electric Mercedes-Benz CLA, whose sleek contours and guppy-mouth styling should stand in contrast to the Neue Klasse platform’s pseudo-retro design cues. We’ve never hoped so hard for an electric car’s fortunes.

Source: BMWBlog

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