Bad news for BMW FWD model fans, as the Bavarian carmaker will not bring the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer and the 2-Series Gran Tourer in the United States. The company has not made an official statement on that matter, but a recent report from Automotive News Europe states the situation.

According to the report, the two FWD models are considered too small for the North American market, as the Americans like the genuine bigger models, like the X5 and X6 SUVs. Apart from that, it is difficult to state if drivers across the sea might or might not embrace the idea of having them there.

A reason to choose the 2-Series Active Tourer as a genuine BMW vehicle, is that inside, the model offers enough space just as the larger X vehicles, coming with 4,342 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,555 mm high.

With the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer to be the company`s first car to come with a front-wheel drive, the model is also the first to be fitted with a three-cylinder unit, which also allows to efficiently use the space inside.

On the other hand, the BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer is based on the same UKL Platform also used on the other BMW vehicles, coming as well with a front-wheel drive layout and leaving room inside for the third seat row. The model is actually an extended version of the previous one, coming with a lot of features just like the 2-Series Active Tourer.

Just like the Active Tourer, the BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer is fitted with a wide array of three- and four-cylinder units, closely followed by an xDrive version as well. The first to start with is the 219i, which will underpin a 1.5-liter TwinPower three-cylinder unit, developing 136 horsepower and 220 Nm of torque.

Next, the 220i version is coming with the 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder, outputting 192 horsepower and 280 Nm of torque, jumping from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.6 seconds. Other engines follow, like the three diesels, set up for the 216d, which received the 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo three-cylinder, with 116 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque, the 218d with the 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder, as well as the 220d xDrive, with the same 2.0-liter unit, which develops 190 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post Report: U.S. Market Will Not Receive BMW`s FWD 2-Series Active Tourer and 2-Series Grand Tourer appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It is well known that the Germans from BMW are planning to introduce models benefiting from a front-wheel drive system, somehow against the tradition of the brand. Of course, we are not talking about the biggest and more important models in the range, BMW planning to fit some small-segment vehicles with the FWD system. Starting 2014, the Germans will reveal the 1 Series GT, a model adopting a front-wheel drive system. Later on, BMW might introduce the new traction system to other variants of the 1 Series range such as the Coupe and Convertible models.

However, this doesn’t mean that all the 1 Series models will be front-wheel drive as the Germans announced that the range can get up to six different body styles.

According to the first details, BMW will use the same platform that will underpin the next-generation Mini, scheduled to enter the market somewhere next year. We talk about the new UKL1 platform developed by BMW Group which will be also used by the British sub-brand most probably due to financial reasons.

Another important detail is that the first model within BMW’s range will be the 1 Series GT, a more practical version of the range, one of the six body variants BMW plans to introduce. However, we can’t predict if the new 1 Series GT will attract the customers or it will disappoint as the 5 Series GT in the United States. Well, the poor sales of the model mentioned above are mainly due to the fact the U.S. customers were waiting for a Touring variant.

The new UKL1 platform uses the Z-axle multilink rear suspension and MacPherson struts, the latest rumors announcing that a four-wheel drive system is more likely to be present too. Klaus Draeger, BMW Head of Development claimed that the German company will manufacture up to 800,000 units each year benefiting from the FWD system. Moreover, the same source adds that around 20 models in the range will benefit from the UKL1 platform in the next few years.

*The photo gallery consists of new images with the current BMW 1 Series

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post First BMW models with the FWD system to debut in 2014 appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Thanks to the people from Autocar who managed to get some extra details on the new BMW front-wheel drive incoming models we can start a somewhat prolonged discussion in this regard. According to the source mentioned above, it seems that the Germans from BMW are preparing two body versions, namely a five-door hatchback and a wagon.

The Bavarians will use the platform of Mini Countryman for their new fwd models, the models bearing a new codename, namely Unter Klasse (UKL). Regarding the new generation 1 Series, there should be no doubt that there will be some rear-wheel drive models too.

However, there will be some differences between the FWD future 1 Series and the RWD one. Namely, according to the first information, few minor changes regarding the design will be made as the engine for the front-wheel drive models will be positioned slightly different which actually brings more space for the passangers. More about the future FWD models and also about the next-generation 1 Series to be discussed soon on our blog.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post New information on the BMW’s future front-wheel drive models appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.