BMW has unveiled its first ever compact model to feature up to seven seats. Called the 2 Series Gran Tourer, this new model is essentially an elongated version of the 2-Series Active Tourer. The latter is a direct rival to the Mercedes-Benz B-Class in Europe.
Inside, the Gran Tourer is nearly identical to the Active Tourer except for the seating layout. BMW is offering an optional third row of seats that fold flat into the floor. With the rear seats folded down, the vehicle is claimed to offer up to 1,905 litres of boot space, making it a very practical proposition.
BMW has confirmed that the 2 Series Gran Tourer will be offered with a choice of five turbocharged engines and all-wheel drive. The base spec unit is the 1.5-litre TwinTurbo Power 3-cylinder engine that produces 136bhp of power and 220Nm of torque. The other petrol engine is the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit that puts out 190bhp of power and 280Nm of torque. As for the diesel range, again there’s a 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo 3-cylinder engine that develops 116bhp of power and 270Nm of torque. The more powerful diesel unit comes in the form of the 150bhp, 2-litre four-cylinder engine that also has 330Nm of torque. The range topping model will be the 220d xDrive with the 2-litre TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine and all-wheel drive.
The new 2 Series Gran Tourer will go on sale in Europe sometime during the middle of the year.
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