BMW is continuing to experiment with interesting ways to package parts and trim on the X2, and the GoldPlay edition is the latest example. Despite many of them being of limited production, there seems to be no shortage of special edition BMW models these days, with one recent example being a matte black X5 announced last summer. It can be easy to overlook some of these trim groups, particularly the ones with no apparent meaning or connection with BMW culture, but there have also been plenty of interesting ones paying homage to the heritage of the brand. Back in 2020, the X2 M Mesh edition was announced, and much like the new GoldPlay Edition, the proof is in the packaging.
GoldPlay edition trim is only offered on the BMW X2 xDrive28i and front-wheel-drive sDrive28i, and not the 300-horsepower X2 M35i in the U.S., although it’s available on the entire X2 range in Europe. San Remo Green is the standard color, and the aero pieces, wheels, and other elements of the trim largely mirror that of the X2 M Mesh with few exceptions. The most notable of these trim elements is the front bumper, which follows the style of the optional M Sport X design which served as the basis for aero treatment found on the X2 M Mesh. The rest of the bodykit is a bit different, with M high-gloss Shadow Line trim found on the side skirts, rear bumper, exhaust tailpipe finishers, and elsewhere. The mesh of the kidney grilles matches that of the lower grilles on the front bumper, as both are finished in Dark Shadow. Where the X2 M Mesh featured orange, the X2 GoldPlay uses Galvanic Gold on the inserts of the standard nineteen-inch or optional twenty-inch wheels. Galvanic Gold is also found on the design on the sides of the X2 and as the finish for the kidney grille surrounds as well as the mirror caps and frames.
Although San Remo Green offers exceptional contrast behind the Galvanic Gold highlights, other available colors include Alpine White, Black Sapphire metallic, Skyscraper Grey, and BMW Individual Storm Bay metallic.
In addition to the integrally important M Sport seats and other M Sport bits like the steering wheel, the interior is home to two additional gold tones including Golden Mica metallic and Giallo Oro. The former is used for the graphic found on the trim, and is laser-engraved and sealed with lacquer. Contrasting stitching for the leather and piping for the floor mats is Giallo Oro, while door sill strips display “edition” lettering in more Galvanic Gold, which was already an optional exterior color for the X2.
Production of X2 GoldPlay editions intended for the U.S. is scheduled to begin in March. Like the X2 M Mesh edition, the value of the X2 GoldPlay is found in its array of parts, many of which originate from the M Sport package, including the M Sport suspension. The yellow and gold highlights may or may not be for you, but the M Sport seats are of particular importance, as the only other way to get them on an X2 is to either buy an X2 M35i, or M Mesh edition of the 28i. Whether or not the X2 GoldPlay offers the same kind of bargain as the M Mesh, however, remains to be seen, as BMW hasn’t released pricing yet.—Alex Tock
[Photos courtesy BMW AG.]