Photo: BMW
Did you guys know that luxo-minivans are big business in Europe. Over in Germany, which is like a hub of industrial coolness and also the biggest market on the continent, especially for premium vehicles. So, you want to guess what's the best selling MPV in Germany, the Opel Meriva, Citroen Picasso or Skoda Roomster? Nope, it's the mercedes-Benz B-Class, since most buyers have figured out that if you're going to do everything in one car it might as well be a good one.
We are of course talking about the brand new B-Class, now a compact car with proportions larger than a Golf. It's been fantastically popular since its launch in 2011, so much so that rival brand BMW decided to build its own.
This is it! Based on the Active Tourer Concept of 2012 and modulated from the same architecture as the new MINI Cooper, the 2 Series was officially unveiled today. It's not exactly a looker, in the same way that none of its competitors are either. It basically looks exactly like we expected.
As far as the proportions are concerned, at 1,586 mm high, 2,038 mm wide and 4,342 mm long, the 2 Series Active Tourer is quite small, comparable to the Mercedes B-Class in every way. Going for front-wheel drive has allowed designers to give the 2er AT a big boot: 468 liters with the seats up and 1,510 liters with them folded completely flat. You can even slide the rear seats forwards for extra luggage room or recline the backrests. This is all standard stuff in the MPV class, but putting a BMW badge on it makes everything more appealing.
As far as engines are concerned, they are mostly shared with the new MINI. The base petrol unit is the 216i fitted with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that uses direct injection and makes 136 HP and 220 Nm of torque. It will be available with either a six-speed manual as standard or an automatic. The 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint will be done in 9.3 seconds with the manual and 0.3 seconds slower with the auto.
Next up is a small diesel engine, the 218d, equipped with a 2-liter turbo rated at 150 HP and 330 Nm of torque (243 lb-ft). It's the same engine just launched on the X3 facelift. BMW claims 4.1l/100km (68.9 mpg UK) while the standard sprint is dealt with in 8.9 seconds. Color us not impressed!
Finally, there's the crazy, overpowered 225i model, which is really fast, really powerful and will probably scare your kids into submission every time you go near the acceleration pedal. Power comes from a 231 HP 2-liter with 350 Nm of torque, available from 1,250rpm. An eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox harnesses that power via the front wheels, pushing the 225i from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds, which ironically is the same time as the Mercedes B 250, the most powerful B-Class. Later on, all-wheel drive should be available as well.
As far as the proportions are concerned, at 1,586 mm high, 2,038 mm wide and 4,342 mm long, the 2 Series Active Tourer is quite small, comparable to the Mercedes B-Class in every way. Going for front-wheel drive has allowed designers to give the 2er AT a big boot: 468 liters with the seats up and 1,510 liters with them folded completely flat. You can even slide the rear seats forwards for extra luggage room or recline the backrests. This is all standard stuff in the MPV class, but putting a BMW badge on it makes everything more appealing.
As far as engines are concerned, they are mostly shared with the new MINI. The base petrol unit is the 216i fitted with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that uses direct injection and makes 136 HP and 220 Nm of torque. It will be available with either a six-speed manual as standard or an automatic. The 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint will be done in 9.3 seconds with the manual and 0.3 seconds slower with the auto.
Finally, there's the crazy, overpowered 225i model, which is really fast, really powerful and will probably scare your kids into submission every time you go near the acceleration pedal. Power comes from a 231 HP 2-liter with 350 Nm of torque, available from 1,250rpm. An eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox harnesses that power via the front wheels, pushing the 225i from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds, which ironically is the same time as the Mercedes B 250, the most powerful B-Class. Later on, all-wheel drive should be available as well.
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