As BMW’s first ever front-wheel drive production car and first minivan in the history of the brand, the 2-Series Active Tourer will definitely attract customers that didn’t consider buying a BMW before. In fact, the German automaker expects that three out of every four buyers of the 2-Series Active Tourer minivan will be new to the brand.
“We are expecting the Active Tourer will have a conquest rate of around 75 percent,” Frank Niederlaender, head of product management for BMW’s lower model range, told Autonews Europe. The automaker hopes the 2-Series Active Tourer will attract customers from rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz B-Class or VW Touran.
Niederlaender added that, despite the lack of rear-wheel drive, the 2-Series Active Tourer is a true BMW. Developing a minivan sporty enough for the brand was easier because BMW took advantage of the know-how from the Mini brand. “Through Mini we have more than 10 years of experience with front-wheel-drive cars,” the executive said.
BMW says it achieved lateral acceleration values and drive-through times comparable with its rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Furthermore, it claims that the range-topping 225i model can lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than 9 minutes.
In the future, BMW plans to launch a longer, seven-seat version of the Active Tourer, as well as a plug-in hybrid variant. The company forecasts demand for luxury compact cars will grow faster over the next 10 years that for the overall premium market.
By Dan Mihalascu
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