A new 2.0-litre engine joins the BMW 2 Series Coupé line-up
The BMW 2 Series Coupé has again raised the bar in efficiency and dynamics with the introduction of a new four-cylinder diesel powerplant.
The new 2.0-litre diesel power engine is a member of the new BMW Group engine family. It features the latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, achieves a maximum power output of 190hp and 400Nm torque. With the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the BMW 220d Coupé returns an average fuel consumption of 64.2mpg and a CO2 output of 115g/km. In conjunction with the eight-speed automatic transmission, the corresponding levels improve to 68.9mpg and 107g/km respectively, an improvement of 10g/km over the outgoing engine.
This latest generation of four-cylinder diesel engine from BMW also offers an additional 6hp and a further 20Nm torque than the outgoing engine, this results in improved performance. Acceleration from zero to 62mph has improved by 0.1 seconds to 7.1 seconds for the manual transmission and 7.0 seconds with the automatic. Moreover, the weight of the new engine has dropped by around two kilograms, while improvements have also been made in terms of acoustic comfort and the reaction times to the Auto Start-Stop system.
The BMW 220d Coupé will be available from November 2014, priced from £26,865 OTR for a Sport derivative.
| Model | Power Hp |
Torque Nm |
0-62 mph seconds |
Top Speed mph |
Combined mpg |
CO2 Emissions g/km |
Price |
| BMW 220d Sport Coupé | 190 | 400 | 7.1 (7.0) | 143 | 64.2 (68.9) | 115 (107) | £26,865 |
Best open-top car accolade for BMW 3 Series Convertible at What Car? Used Car of the Year awards 2014
What Car? has awarded the BMW 3 Series Convertible the covetable title of best open-top car at its annual Used Car of the Year awards.
The BMW 3 Series Convertible won over the judges with its solid build quality, folding metal roof and characteristic BMW driving dynamics. Likewise it won over new car buyers selling over 20,000 convertibles of this generation and this award is testament that it’s continuing to impress used car buyers.
Rory White, What Car? Road Tester, commented: “The BMW 3 Series is an absolutely great car to drive for a convertible. Convertibles these days are used all year round, not just in the warmer months, and because the 3 Series has a hard, metal folding roof it keeps out road and wind noise but more importantly it’s much better at keeping the rain out too.”
BMW comes out on top at LowCVP Champion Awards
The BMW Group has been lauded with the ‘Grand Prix’ award for Outstanding Achievement in Low Carbon Transport at the LowCVP Champion Awards.
BMW beat off stiff competition to pick up the title of Low Carbon Car / Van Manufacturer of the Year, impressing the judges with the company’s approach to sustainable mobility and commitment to reducing the environmental impacts of production. The launches of the BMW i3 and i8 have brought ultra low emission vehicles to a wide range of customers helping to seal BMW’s success in this category.
The LowCVP awards recognise best practice, outstanding leadership and innovation in cutting carbon from vehicles and fuels, as well as through other means.
Commenting on the award wins the judges said: “The introduction of BMW’s i3 and now i8 models have arguably changed the landscape in terms of plug-in vehicles and their operation. BMW i is redefining personal mobility, introducing innovative, purpose-built vehicles embodying sustainability. The company’s approach includes a substantial reduction in environmental impacts across the entire value chain and the introduction of innovative mobility services.”
The LowCVP awards are the latest in a string of accolades for BMW’s i cars, following on from the i3 being crowned New Car of the Year at the Motor Trader Awards, Best city car at the Wallpaper Design Awards and Green Car of the Year at the Auto Express New Car Honours 2014.
BMW driver Marco Wittmann wins 2014 DTM Drivers’ Championship
BMW driver Marco Wittmann won the DTM Championship title last weekend at Lausitzring, two races ahead of the season finale at Hockenheimring.
The BMW Team RMG wrapped up the title in the Drivers’ Championship in the eighth round of the ten-race season at the Lausitzring, with a sixth place finish in the Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM. Wittmann produced a flawless race in difficult conditions to pick up eight points, ensuring he can no longer be caught by his rivals and took the final step towards the title.
Wittmann follows in the footsteps of Volker Strycek (1984), Eric van de Poele (1987), Roberto Ravaglia (1989) and Bruno Spengler (2012), who have all triumphed in this series for BMW. Wittmann’s success makes him the third-youngest DTM champion of all time and also marks the first time in the history of the “new” DTM – since 2000 – that a driver has been crowned champion in only his second year.
In winning the title, Wittmann continued a special tradition: whenever BMW has appeared in the DTM with a new model, the title in the Drivers’ Championship has ultimately gone to Munich at the end of the season. After Strycek’s success with the BMW 635 CSi in 1984, van de Poele repeated the feat with the BMW M3 in 1987, and Spengler continued the tradition with the BMW M3 DTM in 2012. Wittmann has now ensured that the first year of the new BMW M4 DTM will also go down as a golden debut season.
He now has 128 points to his name, and a 69-point lead over second-placed Christian Vietoris (Mercedes). BMW Team RMG also tops the team standings with 167 points, giving it a 75 point cushion ahead of its closest rivals. And BMW also leads the Manufacturers’ Championship with 320 points.
BMW supports UK ‘Rapid Charge Network’ project
BMW is amongst a partnership of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) manufacturers that have joined forces, through the European Union’s TEN-T program, to create a multi-standard and inter-operable charging network through the United Kingdom and Ireland.
As well as helping to finance the £5+ million scheme, the consortium is providing other members of the project with the benefit of its extensive experience in the BEV field.
This is the first time leading BEV companies BMW, Nissan, Volkswagen and Renault, have united to accelerate the growth of EV charging infrastructure, seen as a key enabler towards making zero-emission mobility a market reality. The project, managed by Zero Carbon Futures in Newcastle also draws on the network expertise of ESB, one of Ireland’s largest electricity companies and leader of a previous TEN-T project completed this summer, and Newcastle University.
When complete, the UK Rapid Charge Network (RCN) will comprise of more than 70 multi standard rapid chargers, covering almost 700 miles of major trunk routes and providing EV-friendly links to five seaports and five international airports.
These rapid chargers are the latest state-of-the-art multi-standard units and are compatible with cars using 44kW CCS, 44kW CHAdeMO or 43kW AC systems. This will ensure that EV drivers travelling in the UK can undertake long journeys secure in the knowledge that they will never be far from a rapid charger.
A research program, led by Newcastle University will aim to confirm the benefits of such an advanced inter-operable EV rapid charging network. Strategic information gathered from users, including customer charging behaviour and changes in mobility patterns, will help plan the roll-out of future rapid charging infrastructure across Europe.
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