After being a staunch RWD manufacturer, BMW has swapped ends, with the new 2 Series being the first of over 20 vehicles featuring Front Wheel Drive (FWD). These will include 10 “MINI’s” and 12 BMW’s.
Last month, BMW launched the 2 Series Active Tourer, its first front-drive car, based on its modular UKL architecture. The platform promises neat interior packaging, fuel efficiency and economies of scale.
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.
Front-drive BMW and MINI vehicles (BMW likes MINI in capitals to differentiate from the true Mini’s designed by Sir Alec Issigonis) it is hoped will account for 800,000 of the 2 million annual sales the BMW Group plans to achieve by 2020. Kai Lichte, the company’s spokesman for 1 and 2 Series models, says any vehicle smaller than a 3 Series will use the FWD platform, which also accommodates all-wheel-drive (AWD).
The Series 1 and X1 SUV are also tipped to go FWD at the next model change.
The X4 and X6 are to be joined by an X2, which is also tipped to be FWD.
The only junior model not yet confirmed for FWD is the 2 Series coupe, launched late last year, which has been well accepted in the market-place. “Reaction to the 2 Series was overwhelmingly positive and we just introduced those cars so we have time to make a decision,” Lichte says.
Forward planning by the German marque is to have only two platforms for all models: UKL for vehicles less than 4.5 meters long and a common rear-wheel-drive architecture for the rest – ranging in size from the 3 Series compacts to the 7 Series limousines.
