BMW will try to catch up with Mercedes, who is already enjoying record sales due to the introduction of a front-wheel drive for its compact vehicles.
BMW hopes the same thing by offering the current 2-Series Active Tourer, the first BMW vehicle using a front-wheel drive architecture.
To help increase the appeal of its compact family model, BMW will offer a plug-in hybrid version starting next year. It will likely wear the eDrive logo and will have a configuration that includes a four-wheel drive system.
The conventional engine might be a three-cylinder 1.5 liter turbo unit, delivering 136 hp and 220 Nm of torque to the front wheels. It will be linked to an electric motor that will send all its power to the rear wheels. The zero emission engine will likely offer 102 hp and 250 Nm.
It is roughly the same configuration used on the Concept Active Tourer, introduced in 2012, during Paris Motor Show. The concept was able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 8 seconds and provide a top speed of over 200 km/h (124 mph). The car could run 30 kilometers (18 miles) solely on electric power, but this performance is expected to be improved.
