BMW Malaysia has introduced the 218i Gran Coupe M Sport, its first compact four-door sedan. Last week, the Bavarian automaker teased the new coupe by showcasing camouflaged versions of the car, decked in designs by Malaysian businesses.
The new 2 series Gran Coupe is locally assembled and comes in a very sporty exterior thanks to its M Sport package. You get an aggressive front bumper design with a conjoined trapezoidal double kidney grille that is flanked by slim, slanted LED headlights and LED fog lights. Adding to that, you get modern flared wheel arches and 18” double-spoke style 819 M light alloy wheels.
It also has a short rear end that is defined by slim wrap-around LED tail lights that are connected by a high-gloss black band. It has a single exhaust pipe on the left of the rear, denoting that it is a three-cylinder model.
The 218i also features an aerodynamic design features a low centre of gravity and features sleek frameless front and rear doors that accentuate its fluid design. BMW said the car’s suspension, damping and steering have also been tuned for sportier performance.
Under the hood, the new front-wheel drive Gran Coupe is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine that is paired to a 7-speed Steptronic double-clutch transmission. According to BMW, the engine is capable of a maximum output of 103kW/ 140hp and a peak torque of 220 Nm. It can make it from 0-100km/h in 8.7 seconds and has a top speed of 213km/h. In terms of fuel consumption, it is rated at 5.9 litres per 100km.
On the inside, the new 2 Series Gran Coupe’s M Sport kit adds an M leather-wrapped steering wheel, sports seats with Dakota leather upholstery, M-badged scuff plates and M-specific metal pedals. You will find other features like ambient lighting embedded in the Illuminated Boston silver decorative trim.
The 218i uses BMW Live Cockpit Plus infotainment system that features an 8.8″ touchscreen that runs on its iDrive 6.0 operating system. Though you don’t get Apple CarPlay functionality (it has to be purchased separately as an add-on), you do get a Qi wireless charger and six speakers.
This is complemented by a 5.1″ multi-info display flanked by an analogue speedometer and rev counter. The display shows navigation instructions and the driver assistance systems. On the centre console you will find the gear selector with iDrive controller and driving dynamic controls as well as the push start button.
In terms of safety features, the 218i comes with a host of different driver assist functions that include Driving Assistant package, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. Parking Assistant and Reverse Assistant come standard on the 218i. In addition, you get Active Park Distance control and lateral parking aid to help you park if you are in a tight spot.
In terms of colours, it comes in Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Snapper Rock Blue, Storm Bay and Melbourne Red.
Pricing and availability
The BMW 218i Gran Coupe is priced at RM211,367 (on-the-road-without-insurance) with the sales tax exemption considered and is available at all authorised BMW dealerships nationwide. In case you are wondering, the price with SST is RM218,800. This includes a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and a five-year free service package.
Interested buyers can place a booking of RM1,000 at BMW’s website to express their interest.
There is also a Balloon Financing Plan available that allows new owners to own the BMW 218i Gran Coupe M Sport with a monthly instalment plan starting from RM2,418 (based on estimates of an 80% loan on a five-year tenure).
BMW’s 218i should provide some competition against Mercedes-Benz’s A200 Sedan Progressive Line that is priced at RM222,121 without SST. The A200 is powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharge engine that outputs at 163hp, 250Nm of torque, has a top speed of 230km/h and goes 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds.
For more information, check out BMW’s website.
