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The Bottom Line: When ever the topic of German luxury cars comes up, one marque always floats to the top of the list. Headquartered in Munich, the company originated in 1916 as Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke, a builder of aircraft engines, and assumed the name Bayerische Motoren Werke in July 1917. They began building motorcycles in the 1920s, and entered the automobile business in 1928. Today they are over 104 years old, and we know them simply as BMW.
BMW, which stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengeselleschaft and translates to Bavarian Motor Works, is owned by the parent company, BMW Group. This company also owns the luxury auto brands Mini and Rolls Royce, and BMW still has its world headquarters in Munich, Germany.
The BMWGroup productionnetwork comprises of over 30production and assembly facilities in 14 countries, including the United States. The company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2019 the BMW Group sold over 2.5 million passenger cars, crossovers and SUVs, and more than 175,000 motorcycles worldwide. Today they are the 12th largest automobile company in the world, with four major brands, including BMW automobiles, BMW motorcycles, MINI cars and Rolls Royce.
This week BMW sent me a 2 series M Sport sedan with xDrive. That is what BMW calls their AWD all wheel drive drivetrain. Based on the popular X1 SUV, the 2020 BMW 2-series Gran Coupe is their entry level sport sedan, with a rakish roofline, and it comes standard with all wheel drive.
The base engine in this car is a 2.0-liter BMW Twin Power Turbo inline 4 cylinder 16 valve engine putting out 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, bolted to an 8 speed Sport automatic transmission, with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Then it's coupled to the xDrive intelligent all wheel drive drivetrain for excellent handling and stability.
While the base price of a new 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe is only $37,500, my test car came with exactly $10,000 worth of options. After you add in the $995 destination charge, the total MSRP manufactures suggest retail price came to $48,495.
Here is the break down of the window sticker. Start with the base price of $37,500, then add in the $10K worth of options on the test car: Storm Bay Metallic paint for $1,200, the Mocha Perforated Dakota Leather interior for $1,450, the M Sport Performance Package for a cool $4,000, the Premium Option Package for $3,050 and the Remote Engine Start package for $300. Next add in the $995 destination charge, and the total MSRP price is: $48,495.
While all BMW's live up to their claim as the Ultimate Driving Machine, the M Sport Package option adds M Sport Steering control, a rear deck spoiler, and DSC dynamic stability control. Next up you have a DTC dynamic traction control system working in conjunction with the ABS anti-lock braking system. Then you add in DBC dynamic brake control with CBC cornering brake control, plus the xDrive all wheel drive system, and top it all off with the ARB actuator related brake wheel slip limiter with traction control.
What all of this implies is that your have a Sport Sedan that knows what you want to do, before you want to do it. The car senses the G forces that your imputing thru the gas pedal, steering wheel and gear selectors, and responds instantaneously to maintain your speed, control and braking. The overall feeling when you drive this car is that your in total command of the road, every time, all the time.
As powerful and precise as this BMW is, for less than $50,000 in today's dollars, it also has great fuel economy, greenhouse gas and smog ratings. The car gets 23 MPG miles per gallon in city driving, 33 MPG in highway driving, and a very respectable average of 27 MPG combined in everyday driving.
The greenhouse gas numbers are 6, on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 as best. And it has a smog rating of 7, on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 as best too. Both ratings are above average, which is amazing for a BMW performance sport sedan with the M Sport Driving package. Handling, safety, style and performance, and it still beats the competition in gas mileage, smog ratings and greenhouse gas emissions. This is a very smart, well built, and quality engineered car.
You can learn more about the 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Lineup while your staying at home and sheltering in place. Just go to the BMW website at www.bmwusa.com, and click on Build Your Own. It will tell you all about the advanced innovations, dynamic engineering, athletic aesthetics and unrivaled performance of BMW cars. The site also explains the future of luxury automobiles, the electrifying efficiency of electric cars, and their legendary designs. All showcased to maintain the title that BMW is still building the Ultimate Driving Machines.
My week of driving this 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe M Sport Sedan has been an unparalleled pleasure. The car has that great luxury feeling inside and out. The special exterior Storm Bay Metallic paint, with the optional Mocha Dakota leather interior, wants you to just stay in the car, and keep on driving. The road dynamics are outstanding, the braking is super confident, and the stability at speed is exhilarating.
This fantastic 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe M Sport sedan is only $48,495, and is their way of introducing you to the exciting new world of BMW cars. If you ready to buy a Sport Sedan, and want to spend less than $50 Grand, this is the car your have been looking for. A word to the wise is sufficient. And Stay Safe.
Remember “You Are What You Drive ©”
And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©”.
This Bottom Line Review is provided by: Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net.
"Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net or visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net
Column Name: You Are What You Drive - A Bottom Line Review
Topic: The 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe M Sport Sedan
Word Count: 1,104
Photo Caption: The 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe M Sport Sedan
Photo Credits: BMW Internet Media
Series number: 2020 - 12
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2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe M
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2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe M
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