BMW’s first front-wheel-drive vehicle, the BMW Active Tourer, will go on sale in the United States in early 2015.
At the 2013 LA Auto Show, Ian Robertson, BMW AG’s board member for sales and marketing told Automotive News the Active Tourer will be the first of several new front-wheel drive vehicles. You will see BMW push into segments where we haven’t been before,” said Robertson.
The Active Tourer will take on the Mercedes-Benz GLA crossover which debuts in September 2014. The Active Tourer will share the FWD platform and the three and four cylinder engines with the new F56 MINI.
BMW will offer the Active Tourer with a short and long wheelbase. The longer-wheelbase version comes with a third row of seats.
Robertson said BMW is looking to conquest buyers with the new platform.
“If I look at the first generation 1 series in 2004, 80 percent of the customers were new to the brand,” he said.
Robertson said: “With the Active Tourer, we will get a lot of new customers again. They will come out of the premium segment and from some of the volume players.”
With an exterior length of 4,350 millimeters, width of 1,833 millimeters and height of 1,576 millimeters, the Active Tourer makes the perfect companion for those that enjoy outdoor and sports activities. Optionally, an all-wheel drive setup will be offered as well. for almost all UKL-based models.
