Anyone looking forward to BMW’s new front-wheel-drive range in the U.S. is going to be disappointed, as the automaker has reversed a previous decision to bring the cars over here. BMW’s front-wheel-drive range includes the five-seat 2-Series Active Tourer and seven-seat 2-Series Gran Tourer, both of which are aimed at young families looking for an MPV with sporty dynamics and a touch of luxury.
Speaking with Automotive News (subscription required), a BMW spokesperson said there were no plans for either the 2-Series AT or the 2-Series GT in the U.S. The spokesperson said the vehicles were deemed too small for the local market.
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The 2-Series AT has a length of just 171 inches, which makes it shorter than even the X1, which measures in at 175.5 inches in length. The 2-Series GT has a length of 179 inches.
Note, Mercedes-Benz’s rival to the front-wheel-drive 2-Series duo, the B-Class, is offered in the U.S., albeit in battery-electric form only.
For those that still think a front-driving BMW is sacrilege, we still may see a front-wheel-drive car wearing the blue and white roundel offered in the U.S. The next-generation X1 will ride on the same front-wheel-drive UKL platform underpinning the 2-Series AT and 2-Series GT, and this model is expected to come with front-wheel drive in its most basic setting. xDrive all-wheel drive will be an option, however.
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