It was back in October last year when BMW introduced the 2 Series in India. The model range came in the Gran Coupe form but only with a diesel engine. Now, however, you can buy the compact four-door coupe with a petrol-powered heart as well. The German brand’s Indian arm has expanded the range with the introduction of the 220i M Sport. With a sticker price of Rs 40.9 lakh, it costs Rs 50,000 more than the 220d Sport Line and Rs 1.4 lakh less than the 220d M Sport.

The main talking point is, of course, the engine. Propelling the newly-launched variant is a 2.0-litre, turbocharged motor that pumps out 189bhp/280Nm and comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. That, by the way, is the same powertrain which also does duty in the Mini Cooper S and the BMW X1. The 220i, when poked, can hit 100kmph from nothing in 7.1 seconds and top out at 240kmph. With your feet in sensible mode, you can expect it to return as much as 14.82kmpl.

As you’d expect, the new derivative offers the same kit as the 220d M Sport. The list includes cruise control, auto headlamps and wipers, dual-zone climate control with rear AC vents, electric sunroof, ambient lighting and a wireless mobile charger. The car also comes with a 10-speaker sound system with 205-watt output, two 10.25-inch displays (one each for the instrument cluster and infotainment purposes), wireless Apple CarPlay, BMW Gesture Control, powered front seats with memory function for the driver and auto start/stop. Slotting under the safety kit are features like six airbags, ISOFIX child-seat mounting, tyre pressure monitoring system, Dynamic Stability Control and Cornering Brake Control.

Presently, the 2 Series Gran Coupe has no direct rivals in India. That, however, will change with the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine later this year. There are other premium products available in the same price bracket, including the Volvo XC40, Mini Countryman and the Audi Q2.