The company release may claim the new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer carves out a new vehicle segment, but we’ll stick to believing it’s a stylish new estate with bags of space. And that includes having up to seven seats available.
You have to love a company that measures cars in millimetres, so to honour the Germanic love of metric, the new BMW is 4,556 millimetres long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,608 mm high.
The standard luggage space is pretty roomy, and can be increased from 645 litres up to 805 litres of space. But if you ditch the rear-seat backrests you get 1,905 litres of total load space, and a rear seat with a 40:20:40 split which allows for 3 child seats. Being a modern BMW, there’s no messing around folding things about, as the seats are button-operated.
And then you get the optional third row of seats, along with storage options and fold-out tables. It sounds more like a luxury airliner than a car.
Fortunately the engine gives us reasons to be interested. You get one of five new turbo engines putting out somewhere between 116-192hp, but still giving 44.1-72.4 miles per gallon (claimed), and low CO2 emissions to lower your taxes and tolls where applicable.
And if you plan on roughing it off-road or during the school run, the BMW 220d xDrive Gran Tourer gives you all-wheel drive.
Gadgets across the range include the BMW ConnectedDrive system, including the HUD for driver’s and a Traffic Jam Assistant. If you’re in Germany, then your kids can also use the new myKIDIO app for entertainment, while parents can use a Control Display to see what the little angels are watching on their iPad or other tablet device.
Now there are five versions of the new BMW Series 2 Gran Tourer, as we mentioned earlier regarding engine choices. Obviously the frugal might go for the Standard model, but picking the Advantage gets you extra functions including two-zone air-con, Park Distance Control at the back, Cruise Control with Braking function, and a multi-function steering wheel.
If you want more show, then you get get the Sporting Line with light alloy wheels, sport seats and other cosmetics to hint at a bit of pace, or the Luxury Line with chrome and leather.
But obviously we don’t really care about any of those.
The BMW Series 2 Gran Tourer M Sport model comes with the choice of the M Aerodynamics package, BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line, M leather steering wheel and M Sport seats, among other features. We’ll have the one with the M, please.
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