BMW has announced a new trim group for the X2 SAC. It’s called the M Mesh Edition, and it’s exclusive to the X2 xDrive28i and sDrive28i models if you’re in the U.S. Billed as a special edition trim package for the 2021 X2, production is not limited, and availability starts with the 2021 model year. But what exactly does checking the M Mesh Edition box on the build sheet do for the X2? Is it yet another appearance package? Thankfully not.
While many of the items that comprise the M Mesh trim package are confined to aesthetics, there are a number of reasons why the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, and why it may be an ideal way to option your X2.
M Mesh X2s will come with an M Sport X exterior package, M Mesh kidney grille, special interior appointments, and can be had in a number of colors including Alpine White, Phytonic Blue Metallic, Black Sapphire Metallic, Sunset Orange Metallic, and the new Brooklyn Grey Metallic, which is seen here. Those orange graphic decals won’t be available in the U.S., perhaps because they resemble the foil used on emergency response vehicles. Wheels are M Aerodynamic style 919M (that’s a lot of Ms) which feature orange or black highlights that can come wrapped in either all-season or summer rubber.
In addition to the M Sport X body treatment, the interior contains the other most important component of the M Mesh Edition trim group, the M Sport seats. Under normal circumstances, these seats are not offered on the X2 28i models, and can only be had on the X2 M35i when bundled with Dakota leather, which brings their cost to nearly $2,000. Making your X2 an M Mesh Edition adds just $3,550 to the bottom line, and that happens to be even less than the cost of adding M Sport X to an X2 28i, which increases the price by $4,400. Another important note is the addition of the ZF eight-speed sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters, which replaces the conventional version of the same unit.
Desirable options, sharp colors, and a great interior, all for less than M Sport? While the M Mesh Edition package for the X2 may initially sound like a gimmick, it contains some real value in terms of packaging, with the seats and body kit being worth the cost alone.
Whether or not the X2 M Mesh Edition becomes a hot seller remains anyone’s guess at this early stage, but the week prior to the X2 announcement, BMW unveiled the 128ti hot hatch, which rides atop the same UKL2 modular platform. A front-drive performance hatchback with respectable power, a tuned suspension, and decent looks, the 128ti slots against perennial rivals such as the Volkswagen GTI, but packs more of a punch thanks to the potent B48 four-cylinder engine. The 128ti won’t be sold in the U.S. (no variant of the current 1 Series is), but we can’t help but wonder which is the more enthusiast-oriented model, and how the 128ti might fare in here in the States.—Alex Tock
[Photos courtesy BMW AG.]
