BMW’s 2 Series to Bow in Detroit

BMW AG's replacement for the 1 Series minicar in the American market will debut as the 2 Series coupe at the Detroit auto show in January.

The rear-drive car is expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2014 in the U.S.

Buyers will have a choice between two gasoline engines, each fitted with an 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission.

The base $33,000 228i model will be powered by a 2.0-liter, twin-scroll turbocharged four-banger that makes 240 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, reach a top speed of 130 mph and deliver and expected city/highway/combined driving fuel economy of 23/35/27 mpg (automatic) or 22/34/26 mpg (manual).

The higher-performance $44,000 M235i is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine that produces 322 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. The bigger powerplant delivers a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 second, a top speed of 155 mph and 22/32/25 mpg (automatic) or 19/28/22 mpg (manual).

The new 2 Series is about 3 inches longer and 1 inch wider than the 1 Series, making it about the size of a 10-year-old BMW 3 Series model. The car also is roomier and more economical than the 1 Series it replaces, according to the company.

Under BMW's new nomenclature, 2 Series models are two-doors. The company will introduce the series in the U.S. as a coupe with convertible to follow. The 1 Series will denote sedans, the first of which will arrive in the U.S. as a front-drive model in 2017.