The F22 came out in late 2013 as a MY 2014. So, it's been around a full seven years. That's the normal run for a BMW "platform." I recall my last BMW salesman said F22 production would end in March or April 2020. But his lips were moving, so me might have been "mistaken."
It costs about as much for BMW to make a 230i and it does for them to make a similarly equipped 430i. The curb weights are less that 200 pounds different. The F22 is a "loss leader:" lower prices, less profit, but it increases sales volume and keeps people out of Audi dealerships.
Sales of the F22's have dropped off. Heck, sales of the F87 M2C have dropped off to the point that they're now discounting them. 4-doors sell better, even in small cars. People who buy small two-doors generally only plan on carrying one passenger, and that's a small group of potential customers.
It wouldn't surprise me if BMW stops making the RWD 2 Series after the F22/23/87 are gone. There aren't any news articles and "spy photos" of a F22/23/87 replacement on the Interwebs.
My high school dream car was a BMW 2002: small, two-door, RWD, manual transmission. My cousin-in-law had one that he'd let me drive. The 230i is about the closest thing around to a 2002. The M240i is about the closest thing around to a 2002tii. I was at Spartanburg picking up a 535i when the M235i came out. They'd dusted off the 2002tii they had in the museum there, put some gas in it, and were letting journalist play with both cars on the track.
I've thought about replacing my 2014 535i early with a 230i before they're gone. But, my 535i has a manual (built in the last week they made 535i manuals), it's in great shape, and it's only worth about $19k now. I can't justify throwing in $30k to downgrade to a 230i.
Frau Putzer's X3 30i is our first automatic BMW. I've come to terms with it, to the point that my 535i will likely get replaced with a 330i when the time comes in three or four years.
