BMW has released images of the Concept Active Tourer, the car that is set to be the star of its stand at the Paris Motor Show. Ordinarily that honour would be reserved for something from the M Division but the Active Tourer is possibly even more important for the brand as it signals the move to front-wheel drive.
Exterior
By moving away from the traditional longitudinal engine and rear-wheel drive layout there is no need for BMW's characteristic long bonnet. While seemingly a small change from a styling point of view this represented a challenge for a manufacturer synonymous with sporty cars. To counteract this the kidney grille on the Concept Active Tourer has been tilted forward (even more so than the current 3 Series) with the headlights swept back as far as the wheelarches. Purists (who are probably spitting out their tea at the thought of a front-wheel drive BMW) will be delighted to see that the Hofmeister kink and upswept window line remain.
Interior
Inside, the Concept Active Tourer is full of motor show frivolity like 'open-pore laminated wood milled from a single block' and door trims covered in 'light, velvety soft full-grain leather and smooth leather', but strip these away and the interior is typical BMW. The dashboard is orientated towards the driver, the front seats raised to X1 height to provide a commanding view of the road while neat tech touches include a retracting head-up display, Black Panel Technology borrowed from the 7 Series and a 10.25-inch multifunction display.
Designed to compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and Volkswagen Golf Plus, the Concept Active Tourer offers seating for five with a 40:20:40 split in the rear seats for added practicality.
Mechanicals
The car displayed in Paris will actually be all-wheel drive with a modified version of the i8 supercar's hybrid powertrain employed. Under the bonnet of the Concept Active Tourer is BMW's new TwinPower 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that is supported by an electric motor and floor mounted lithium-ion battery powering the rear wheels. BMW claims 0-100km/h in 'less than' eight seconds, a top speed of around 190km/h and combined economy of more than 113mpg, a CO2 rating of under 60g/km and electric-only range of up to 30 kilometres.
The petrol engine, codenamed B38, is part of BMW's new modular family that will eventually include to three-, four- and six-cylinder units with 60 per cent commonality between petrol and diesel engines. This means, that for the first time, all 'family' engines can be built on the same production line, reducing costs.
Anything else?
The Concept Active Tourer will spawn BMW's first ever front-wheel drive car, but we don't know what it will be called as yet. A lot of money has been placed on it being badged as the 1 Series GT, though as it is such a mould-breaking car a new name is a distinct possibility.
A small version of the new platform will also be used for the next generation MINI line-up which, if it is to retain its much vaunted handling prowess, may not spell the end of the world for a front-wheel drive BM.