Report: BMW executives don’t expect high sales with new 2-Series Active Tourer, we don’t either

If this was 10 years ago, the entire world would’ve scoffed if BMW created a front-wheel driven car. This was made obvious by the fact that BMW’s most prevalent identity was the manufacturer of the “ultimate driving machine,” so much that BMW themselves even called front-wheel drive “the work of Satan.”

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But it’s not 10 years ago any more and the latter is actually in effect at full blast after the brand recently introduced the 2-Series Active Tourer, their first ever front-wheel drive model–and it’s a fricken’ minivan. It makes the question that driving enthusiasts and fans of the Roundel, and even yours truly here at egmCarTech, ask: why, when you have Mini in the portfolio to deliver all of the front-wheel drive joy we expect in a Mini?

Just make a Mini minivan/MPV. Mini once produced one themselves in the form of the Austin Mini Van. Even then, the Countryman still exists as well.

Either way, just as we voice our skepticism of the 2-Series Active Tourer, BMW’s own executives apparently share similar sentiments about low sales expectations here in the US, according to a new report from AutomotiveNews. The 2-Series Active Tourer is still about 15 months away from reach our shores and BMW’s own Frank Niederlaender said that Munich’s execs are already planning for a slow start, under the observation that we don’t like hatchbacks. Well, that might be true to an extent, there has been expressed desire to see the rear-wheel driven 1-Series hatchback here in the states.

Still, the 2-Series Active Tourer also exists to compete in the same market that Mercedes-Benz has been existent in for quite some time with the B-Class. Do you think the 2-Series Active Tourer will sell well in the US? Let us know of your thoughts in the comment section below.

Source: AutomotiveNews