Stephenson also states that when viewed from the side, the design of the new 2 Series looks 'Cartoonish'.

The 2022 BMW 2 Series was unveiled earlier this year. The new 2 Series features a lot of design updates, both to its exterior and interiors and most importantly features a conventional sized kidney grille, unlike its 4 Series sibling.

But, according to Frank Stephenson, an Ex-BMW designer, the return to the smaller grille on the 2 Series is the only commendable styling element on the entire car. Stephenson, responsible for multiple BMW car designs in the 1990s and early 2000s came down hard on the styling of the new 2 Series in a recent video.

The video starts off with Stephenson being pleasantly surprised by the small grille, rather than the large ones seen on the 4 Series. However, the rest of the front fascia, according to Stephenson is a bit of a mess with no real design language in place.

Stephenson also states that when viewed from the side, the design of the new 2 Series looks 'Cartoonish', thanks to the overly-long bonnet which would only make sense if there was V12 underneath. The criticism continues to the rear as well, with Frank stating that the rear tail lights have no connection to the headlamps and that there are multiple lines and creases, even when it's not required.

The car is scheduled to go on sale in international markets from early 2022

BMW has taken the wraps off the second-generation 2 Series Coupe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The car is scheduled to go on sale in international markets from early 2022. Initially, it will be offered in three variants - 220i Coupe, 220d Coupe and the range-topping M240i xDrive Coupe.

In terms of design, the new (2021) BMW 2 Series Coupe skips the large ugly grille from its M3 and M4 siblings and gets a more conventional one. It also features a redesigned front bumper with larger air vents and a newly-designed set of LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights.

Other features include 18-inch alloys as standard, revised LED tail lights, dark gloss black exterior trim all-around and metallic finishes on the side skirts and rear diffuser. The M240i comes with a boot-lip spoiler, 19-inch alloy wheels and dual exhaust tips.

On the inside, the 2021 BMW 2 Series Coupe gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment unit and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The cabin also comes with a mix of Alcantara and leather upholstery, along with a bunch of comfort and convenience features.

The entry-level 2 Series Coupe 220i is powered by a 2.0-litre, in-line 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. It produces 184 BHP and 300 Nm. BMW claims it can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 236 km/h.

The 2 Series Coupe 220d is powered by a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel unit, paired with a 48-V mild-hybrid system. It produces 190 BHP and 400 Nm with a 0-100 km/h time of 6.9 seconds and 237 km/h top speed.

The M240i is offered with a 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which produces 369 BHP and 500 Nm. The car also gets BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system. The BMW 2 Series Coupe M240i has a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h.

All three variants are come with an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission.

The 2 Series Coupe will go into production later this year, while the high-performance M2 will inevitably follow.

BMW has teased the next-generation 2 Series Coupe by sharing images of a pre-production prototype.

The new 2 Series will feature a more conventional twin-kidney grille. It is expected to be less polarizing than the 4 Series. Reports suggest that BMW will not offer a convertible version this time around.

The new 2 Series will retain its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. It could be offered with 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines. The M240i variant will be powered by a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, 6-cylinder engine producing around 380 hp. It will be paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive variants will also be on offer.

The new 2 Series Coupe is set to go into production later this year, while the high-performance M2 will inevitably follow.