BMW is putting on quite the show these days at Auto China 2024 in Beijing where it has a couple of premieres. The i4 LCI might take center stage but this flashy second-generation X2 M35i is sure to draw a big crowd, too. It s not just any version of the crossover-coupe mashup but the M Performance model with a striking Tampa Bay Green paint job.
It doesn t happen too often for a BMW to change so much from one generation to another. The U10 looks totally different inside and out than the F39 it replaces. It s also significantly larger, so much so that you can have it with these flashy 20-inch wheels that don’t look like overkill. The red brake calipers provide a contrasting effect, as does the black finish of the M-specific side mirrors.
It might not be a real M car but that didn t stop BMW from putting the world s most powerful letter on the kidney grille. This trend started a few years ago and you ll notice it on other M Lite cars, including the mechanically related X1 M35i. Another feature that has trickled down from the full-fat M cars is the quad exhaust, lending the derrière a menacing look.
The interior is also a bit out of the ordinary since BMW brought an X2 M35i with the optional M Sport seats. It was a good opportunity to cram in another M logo, which is backlit like on the bigger and more expensive M cars. Echoing the X2 sold elsewhere, the Chinese version sadly lacks the iDrive rotary knob. Unfortunately, it s also gone from the new X1. On the flip side, the new X3 debuting in June will have it. The G45 crossover will be the first BMW with iDrive 9 and a separate rotary knob for the infotainment.
The new X2 has all the ingredients to be a more popular model than its predecessor, which never really took off in terms of sales. With a fully electric iX2 now available, the smallest of BMW s Sports Activity Coupes has a high chance of being more successful than the old model.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com