Front-Wheel Drive Fever Has Hit BMW: This Is The Radical 2-Series Active Tourer

Take a good look at the BMW 2-series Active Tourer. It's a hugely important car for two reasons: 1) the Active Tourer is the first front-wheel drive BMW in the brand's history and 2) it'll come with a dinky three-pot petrol engine.

That's right, RWD, fans. No powerslides to be had here, just a super-efficient MPV that shares the same new FWD platform as the third generation Mini.

On launch, the engine line-up will consist of three engines; the aforementioned triple (dubbed 218i), which is a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-pot with 134bhp and 162lb/ft torque, plus a four-pot turbocharged petrol (225i) with 227bhp and 258lb/ft. It's good for a top speed of 146mph and a 0-62mph time of 6.8sec. A 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel (218d) produces 148bhp and 243lb/ft of torque for a top speed of 127mph and an 8.9sec 0-62mph time.

After launch, the Active Tourer's engine line-up will be bulked up with the addition of four-wheel drive 225i and 220d Xdrive models and 220i, 216d and 220d variants.

Under its skin, the AT features a single-joint spring strut axle at the front and a multi-link rear axle. The platform - made of ultra-high-tensile steel and also used by the new Mini - is light in weight, which, so says BMW, adds to the car's 'exceptional driving dynamics'.

The BMW 2-series Active Tourer will hit showrooms this September with prices starting from around £23k.