In a world where premium minivans are suddenly the toast of the town in China, one can’t help but wonder if other highfalutin brands might want to jump into the MPV rodeo. Could BMW ever consider taking the plunge? I can almost hear the Bavarian brand’s fans shouting, “Oh, the audacity!” I mean, it’s not like they’ve ever dared to venture into the minivan wilderness before…
Well, for now, fret not, dear enthusiasts, for BMW hasn’t whispered a word about ditching their sedan-only 7-Series flagship lineup to dabble in minivan madness. However in the limitless digital realm, creativity knows no bounds.
Enter the world of rendering maestro Theophilus Chin (also known by the alias Theottle), who has presented his vision of a fictitious BMW flagship minivan, a potential contender in a ring that includes heavyweights like the Volvo EM90 and the Lexus LM.
More: Alfa Romeo Design Boss Hints At A Future Minivan
Theottle infused elements from the BMW i7 sedan into a minivan body, although he tweaked the signature kidney grille and the headlights to better match their new role. The front adopts a full-width LED bar and hides the split headlights in the bumper intakes. The profile features the bi-tone treatment, door handles, and alloy wheels of BMW’s flagship electric sedan. The rear end, which is probably the most convincing part of the illustration, has a full-width LED bar, an i7 Active Tourer emblem on the tailgate, and a stylish bumper with chrome accents.
The renderings were based on the totally unrelated Maxus Mifa 9 electric minivan, which was used for size reference. If you want to talk about specs, the most powerful electric powertrain currently available in the i7 is a dual motor setup producing a combined 650 hp (485 kW / 659 PS) which sounds more than enough for a luxurious minivan as with the 105.7 kWh battery pack.
In any case, it’s highly unlikely that BMW will venture into the large minivan segment, at least in the foreseeable future. The only somewhat similar offering in the Bavarian automaker’s most recent history is the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer, which falls into the category of a compact MPV and shares its underpinnings with the 1-Series, 2-Series Gran Coupe, X1, and X2.
Note: These independent renderings are unofficial and have no affiliation with BMW.