Munich - BMW has plugged a gap in its 2 Series range with its 228i Coupe, while the top end of the range gets more grip in the form of the all-wheel drive M235i xDrive.
Though the latter is aimed at icy countries and thus won't be coming to South Africa, our contact at BMW SA revealed that the 228i will hit our shores in September this year.
For many buyers, the 228i will be the goldilocks of the range. If you find the 135kW 220i to tame and the 240kW M235i too hardcore, or expensive for that matter, then this one could hit that sweet spot in the middle.
Like the 328i, the 228i Coupe gets its motivation from the most powerful version of BMW's 2-litre four-cylinder TwinPower turbopetrol engine. The feisty four-pot pushes 180kW between 5000 and 6000rpm and 350Nm of twist from 1250rpm to 4800rpm.
Zero to 100km/h comes up in just 5.7 seconds, according to BMW, and it'll have no trouble hitting the 250km/h electronic speed limiter. Claimed combined fuel consumption amounts to 6.6 litres per 100km in the lab, which equates to a CO2 emissions rating of 154g/km.
The standard gearbox offering is a six-speed manual, but buyers can also opt for BMW's latest eight-speed automatic transmission.
Local pricing for the 228i has yet to be divulged, but that should happen around July when the order books open.