These 2 series will turn out to be the new 3 series. At least thats how it feels like. Don't see the point of a 4 door smaller than a 3 series, unless your talking Toyota, Nissan...etc..,

Apparently there will also be a 2 series Gran Sport Tourer according to Scott26.

Originally Posted by Scott26

2 SERIES GRAN SPORT TOURER

The next 2er model showcases BMW innovation at its strongest especially for the experimental compact segment. A Touring would be the conventional reaction but BMW are defying the conventional in what to bring to an exciting growth segment , a concept which is appealing to those that desire something innovative and fresh in design but still combining practicality and exclusivity and that all important premium feel.

BMW are currently looking at the creation of another line - "Gran Tourer" to showcase more desirable and stylish approach to re-inventing the Touring for customers that would prefer more exclusivity than utility and to appeal to markets where the wagon (Touring) is all but dead.The Gran Tourer line is being investigated with a 6er model and potentially a 4er model being more exclusive and stylish Shooting Brakes.

Given BMW's design director Adrian Van Hooydunk's admiration for the Hyundai Veloster . The 2er Gran Sport Tourer aims to enhance that level of individuality but offer customers the exciting profile of a Coupe and sports tourer, the idea actually comes from BMW's history in the guise of the classic 1600/2002 Touring model or indeed the GT coupe. Sporting looks with reasonable practicality and a full blooded RWD BMW. The Hyundai Veloster evokes an A-symmetrical language something that has been explored at BMW and an interesting feature on the MINI Clubman.

A-Symmetrical design ideas are very much in the plan for BMW and the Gran Sport Tourer takes A-symmetry to a new level of creativity for BMW.

The idea of a Sports Tourer with a split personality - A Jekyll and hyde concept is the idea of having a sportier coupe on the drivers side enhanced by a single large door opening into the passenger compartment. Whilst on the passenger side a conventional door with a recessed rear hinged door opening into the passenger cell.

The car will still be recognisable as a 2er but the more flat raked rear echoes the1600/2002 Touring which allows BMW to showcase a more historical but with added contemporary style link from the 2er to the 2002.

The BMW 2er will be BMW's response to the Mercedes-Benz CLA and Audi A3 Sedan. And it is all about offering new customers and BMW customers that want a more practical sporting sedan the most exciting and dynamic sporting option in this highly competitive segment.

I really, REALLY don't get this $#@!ing Gran Coupe bull$#@!. The new M3 coupe will be an M4 because the even number cars are the designation for coupes. But you can get a 4-door version of the 2- 4- and 6-series cars. Seriously, either stick to the numbering methodology or don't.

Originally Posted by whoosh

I really, REALLY don't get this $#@!ing Gran Coupe bull$#@!. The new M3 coupe will be an M4 because the even number cars are the designation for coupes. But you can get a 4-door version of the 2- 4- and 6-series cars. Seriously, either stick to the numbering methodology or don't.

It's because the 4-door versions of the odd numbers are "coupes" supposedly. I agree it's retarded.

Not sure why everyone is getting bent over the numbering. It has nice lines. Hopefully they don't F it up like they did with the 1 series.

If it would look like this, everybody would buy it instead of the 3-series. Rest assured, it will be much more ugly.

The proportions look out of whack. Especially the side windows area which is too small. Looks like the roof has been chopped.

Oh well, still looks better than the F30 3-series

Originally Posted by KB

Apparently there will also be a 2 series Gran Sport Tourer according to Scott26.

scott... BMW marketing expanding to the forums per excellance. I wouldn't care less what he(or more probably they) write.
Thats just marketing placement. Trying to push the BMW philosophy with apparently good arguments/assays (that have been studied hours before in meetings) in the peoples head through new media (=forums) where people don't recognize it as such and are open minded or at least expect other people with (different) opinions and not marketing-gurus.
You will never know if what he writes has really a information purpose or maybe just a statistics purpose (to see how people react to different BMW ideas) or simply both.
Apparently spreading his insider knowledge before it gets public and newer getting fired for that (like a normal employee would when spreading secrets to the public constantly).

For myself i think the 2 series will be more appealing to me than the new 3-4 series. They have grown too much. Maybe a 235i would be a fine car for me(as gran coupe.. who knows). Should almost be the size of an e46 3 series and thats enough.
Just please dont mess up the optics like the new 1 series....

Originally Posted by cisi

scott... BMW marketing expanding to the forums per excellance. I wouldn't care less what he(or more probably they) write.
Thats just marketing placement. Trying to push the BMW philosophy with apparently good arguments/assays (that have been studied hours before in meetings) in the peoples head through new media (=forums) where people don't recognize it as such and are open minded or at least expect other people with (different) opinions and not marketing-gurus.
You will never know if what he writes has really a information purpose or maybe just a statistics purpose (to see how people react to different BMW ideas) or simply both.
Apparently spreading his insider knowledge before it gets public and newer getting fired for that (like a normal employee would when spreading secrets to the public constantly).

For myself i think the 2 series will be more appealing to me than the new 3-4 series. They have grown too much. Maybe a 235i would be a fine car for me(as gran coupe.. who knows). Should almost be the size of an e46 3 series and thats enough.
Just please dont mess up the optics like the new 1 series....

Nice post with some good points.

How do people even know Scott actually has any kind of BMW inside information? How do we know he isn't just planted? Or just fishing for ideas?

Originally Posted by Sticky

Nice post with some good points.

How do people even know Scott actually has any kind of BMW inside information? How do we know he isn't just planted? Or just fishing for ideas?

His predictions of future models and this new naming strategy (1 series coupe becoming 2 series, etc.) have mostly come true. He is planted by BMW, that's the point, he's basically a way for BMW's marketing department to leak info out to enthusiasts to gauge reactions and to soften the blow when the information finally becomes official because we've been used to hearing about it. He also has leaked sketches of the design of the F30 and F20 on Bimmerpost that have turned out to be accurate and now he leaked another drawing of the F32's headlights and front end.

I have a friend who works in graphic design and he got to work with Scion on some of the marketing for the FR-S and saw the final car waaay before it came out (he sent me a pic and we talked about some details which made me really excited about it but that's another story) but he said the Scion guys estimated that 90% of "leaked" photos or information on the web actually comes straight out of the car manufacturers. They'll literally have someone snap photos of their test cars, make sure the photos reveal a tiny bit but not too much and then "leak" them to the internet. Of course there are actual spy photographers, too, but manufacturers are becoming quite good at this sort of viral marketing.

Originally Posted by Remonster

His predictions of future models and this new naming strategy (1 series coupe becoming 2 series, etc.) have mostly come true. He is planted by BMW, that's the point, he's basically a way for BMW's marketing department to leak info out to enthusiasts to gauge reactions and to soften the blow when the information finally becomes official because we've been used to hearing about it. He also has leaked sketches of the design of the F30 and F20 on Bimmerpost that have turned out to be accurate and now he leaked another drawing of the F32's headlights and front end.

I have a friend who works in graphic design and he got to work with Scion on some of the marketing for the FR-S and saw the final car waaay before it came out (he sent me a pic and we talked about some details which made me really excited about it but that's another story) but he said the Scion guys estimated that 90% of "leaked" photos or information on the web actually comes straight out of the car manufacturers. They'll literally have someone snap photos of their test cars, make sure the photos reveal a tiny bit but not too much and then "leak" them to the internet. Of course there are actual spy photographers, too, but manufacturers are becoming quite good at this sort of viral marketing.

Well Scott is aware of BimmerBoost so I assume that is good thing. He made a thread on bimmerpost with our X3M renderings and commented on it.

His predictions tend to be hit or miss though.

Originally Posted by Sticky

Well Scott is aware of BimmerBoost so I assume that is good thing. He made a thread on bimmerpost with our X3M renderings and commented on it.

His predictions tend to be hit or miss though.

I didn't mean to say that he's 100% accurate, but I just think people have grown to trust him because he knows some stuff the average person shouldn't.