BMW 2 Series Active Tourer detailed

German brand reveals keen fitout for the upcoming 2 Series Active Tourer. 

A sub-$45,000 starting price will mark the arrival of BMW's first front-wheel-drive car.

The company that touts itself as building the 'ultimate driving machine' has followed prestige rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz in building front-drive compact cars to maximise interior space and trim prices to appeal to mainstream car buyers.

And BMW is chasing the people considering high-spec Asian-built cars. It predicts about 75 per cent of sales will be to first-time BMW buyers.

The 2 Series Active Tourer will arrive in Australia late this year packed with features such as adaptive cruise control, city collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, satnav, automatic tailgate, front and rear parking sensors backed by a reversing camera and lane-departure warning.

The base 218i will be powered by a turbo three-cylinder engine borrowed from the Mini Cooper.

It will be joined by a diesel-powered four-cylinder 218d and the range-topping four-cylinder turbo petrol 225i. All Australian-bound vehicles will be specified with the Sports Line styling package, with gloss black bars in the kidney grille, model-specific air intakes and a black chrome exhaust pipe.

BMW marketing manager Toni Andreevski says the specification and pricing reflect the company's intent to make its presence felt in the premium front-drive segment.

"The brand values are still there. This is a premium product that doesn't dilute the driving experience,"  he says. BMW even has a head-up display on the Active Tourer. The readout is projected in colour on to a glass panel between the steering wheel and windscreen. In the maker's more expensive models, this goes directly on to the screen.

The car's prime competitor is the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, starting with the 1.6-litre B180 at $40,900 and rising to $50,400 for the 2.0-litre B250.

BMW is expected to spin several variants from the Active Tourer platform, including a stretched seven-seater, four-door coupe and a Gran Turismo-styled wagon. A plug-in hybrid version is also likely, given that a petrol-electric powertrain underpinned the Active Tourer Concept.

BMW 218i Active Tourer: 

ENGINE: 1.5-litre 3-cyl turbo, 100kW/220Nm 
TRANS: 6-speed auto, FWD 
THIRST: 5.1L/100km 

BMW 218d Active Tourer:

ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel, 110kW/330Nm 
TRANS: 8-speed auto, FWD 
THIRST: 4.1L/100km

BMW 225i Active Tourer

ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 170kW/350Nm 
TRANS: 8-speed auto, FWD
THIRST: 6.0L/100km