Front-drive BMW to wear 2 Series badge | spy shots

BMW will use the 2 Series badge for both rear-drive coupe and front-drive five door compact MPV models, as these recent spy photos suggest.

The upcoming production version of BMW’s Active Tourer concepts – and BMW’s first front-drive model – were expected  wear 1 Series nomenclature, but this undisguised prototype was spotted wearing a 225i moniker on its tail.

Styling appears little removed from the most recent Active Tourer Outdoor concept shown in Germany earlier this year, and this prototype was spotted while filming promotional footage ahead of its expected public debut at the Geneva motor show in March.

To distinguish the new model from the upcoming 2 Series Coupe, the new five door is expected to carry the title of ‘2 Series Active Tourer’, building on the naming used for the concepts.

The new compact MPV will be BMW’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, and is also expected to spawn an elongated seven-seat version later on.

Under the skin, the new 2 Series five-door will ride on a version of the BMW Group’s new UKL platform, which is also shared by the new Mini Cooper and at least 11 other upcoming BMW and Mini models.

The platform uses a transverse engine layout and native front-drive, but will also accommodate all-wheel drive for some models.

The 2 Series MPV will draw on the new three and four cylinder engines used by the new Mini Cooper, with entry models expected to use the 100kW/220Nm petrol and 85kW/270Nm diesel turbocharged 1.5 litre three, with a version of the new Cooper S’ 141kW/280Nm 2.0-litre petrol four likely to top the range.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions are also in the works, with the possibility of a pure-electric version like the original Active Tourer concept.

This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn