BMW X1’s style-focused sibling is being readied for a 2024 launch, with an EV option possible.
Prototypes of the second-generation BMW X2 have been spied for the first time ahead of an expected launch for the coupw-SUV during the first half of 2024.
As with today’s car, the new X2 will be based on the highly popular X1 – itself recently launched in third-generation form – but seemingly with a radical design rethink aimed at bringing it into line with BMW’s larger coupé-roofed SUVs, the X4 and X6.
The current car is defined by its relatively straight-backed silhouette and is unique in the BMW line-up, notably, for featuring a chunky C-pillar with the brand’s emblem mounted prominently at the centre. This new model moves away from that completely, adopting a profile that leans much more obviously on traditional coupé design cues – with a steep sloping roofline and a subtle lip at the rear, hinting at a more dynamic billing than the X1.
At this early stage, it’s unclear whether BMW plans to offer an electric version of the X2, but such a move is possible, given the car sits on the same FAAR platform as the smaller X1, which itself has an electric sibling in the form of the iX1.
However, petrol power is still expected to be the focus of the X2 and the headlining X2 M35i is set to return after it was also spotted testing at the Nürburgring. It’s distinguishable from its less powerful sibling by its quad-exit exhausts.
It is most likely to use an updated version of the current model’s 225kW turbocharged 2.0-litre engine. The standard car is expected to offer a similar engine line-up to today’s, which includes petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
To maintain its historical price positioning over the X1, the new X2 is likely to carry a sharp starting price, although any future electric variant would hold a large premium over the standard car.
Will Rimell