It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why a number of carmakers, including BMW and its closest rivals, have started to introduce models to cater to every possible niche, and then some. Take BMW for example. Gone are the days when its product planning department had to just think about the 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series and Z cars.
At an age where diving into whatever market you can find is the way to go, having just three models in the line-up will not cut it, unless you're Alfa Romeo. So, to keep up with market demand, BMW inched its way into the SUV/crossover market (X1, X3, X5, X6 and the new X4), created a GT line (3 GT, 5 GT), four-door Gran Coupes (4 Series GC, 6 Series GC) and is now into electric with the i3 and i8.
And that's just the half of it - a 2 Series MPV anyone? So we imagine that it would be pretty hard for BMW's marketing department to differentiate the many models in Munich's stable.
The BMW 2 Series, which replaces the old 1 Series Coupe, is a vehicle that is "supposed to bring back the fun in driving". But you might then ask: "isn't that what all BMWs are about?". Well, BMW does not think so. In fact, as an owner of the current F30 3 Series, I must admit that the car is tuned more for comfort, unlike the E90 it replaced.
What about the M cars? Yes, they are driving machines fit for driving Gods. But they are also priced as much as a 22x75 double-storey terrace house in Malaysia! So, where does the 2 Series stand? It is supposed to be a fun-to-drive car for the younger urban market. With the word 'younger', you can automatically assume that it's for those who have lower purchasing power than M buyers, but the 2 still doesn't come cheap, not in Malaysia.
According to product manager Thomas Edner, the 2 Series is a BMW that puts "driving" as the focus point, more than other non-M cars, and its weight distribution is the closest to 50:50. Just so you know, BMWs don't have exact 50:50 weight distribution, more like 49.4:49.6. You might also notice the association with the classic BMW 2002 in the 2's marketing collaterals. Munich considers the 2002 as a BMW that pioneered driving pleasure, and that the 2 Series is here to claim that crown.
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