Photo: X-Tomi
BMW dipped its fingers into the small minivan segment back in 2014, when production of the original 2 Series Active Tourer commenced. One year later, it was followed by a long wheelbase variant, with three rows of seats, named the 2 Series Gran Tourer.
Fast forward to the present day, and the brand’s rival to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class has entered the second generation. Naturally, this news couldn’t have gone past rendering artists, who have already imagined it in different configurations, the hottest of which being the full-blown M car.
Now, the world needs an M2 Active Tourer (AT) as much as it needs a front-biased all-wheel drive hot hatch from BMW. Wait, that didn’t come out right, because the latest M135i xDrive is no longer tail-happy. So, let’s move on to the digital illustration signed by X-Tomi that depicts such a model, with the obviously bigger front and rear bumpers, fat side skirts, blacked-out chrome trim, and big black kidneys bedecked by the M2 badge.
Such a vehicle would need a punchy engine behind that big grille, and since it is built around the UKL2 platform, which makes it a sibling to the X1, X2, 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Coupe, MINI Countryman, and Clubman, implementing the mill found in the M2 Coupe would be almost impossible. Thus, the only powertrain that could make its way under the hood of the hypothetical M2 Active Tourer would be the one in the M235i Gran Coupe, though then the model would not be an M2 AT, but an M235i AT.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 rival uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, with 302 hp and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-biased all-wheel drive. It allows it to accelerate to 60 mph (96 kph) in 4.6 seconds, and up to 155 mph (250 kph). We obviously wouldn’t hold our breath for an M235i Active Tourer, let alone a full-blown M variant of the car, but it’s always interesting to see how it could look like, isn’t it?
Now, the world needs an M2 Active Tourer (AT) as much as it needs a front-biased all-wheel drive hot hatch from BMW. Wait, that didn’t come out right, because the latest M135i xDrive is no longer tail-happy. So, let’s move on to the digital illustration signed by X-Tomi that depicts such a model, with the obviously bigger front and rear bumpers, fat side skirts, blacked-out chrome trim, and big black kidneys bedecked by the M2 badge.
Such a vehicle would need a punchy engine behind that big grille, and since it is built around the UKL2 platform, which makes it a sibling to the X1, X2, 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Coupe, MINI Countryman, and Clubman, implementing the mill found in the M2 Coupe would be almost impossible. Thus, the only powertrain that could make its way under the hood of the hypothetical M2 Active Tourer would be the one in the M235i Gran Coupe, though then the model would not be an M2 AT, but an M235i AT.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 rival uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, with 302 hp and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-biased all-wheel drive. It allows it to accelerate to 60 mph (96 kph) in 4.6 seconds, and up to 155 mph (250 kph). We obviously wouldn’t hold our breath for an M235i Active Tourer, let alone a full-blown M variant of the car, but it’s always interesting to see how it could look like, isn’t it?
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