[cc3]

Originally Posted by advantage20

Probably in order to justify charging the Active Tourer more than the 1 Series hatch by making it seem as more upmarket, just like the Mercedes B-Class might intuitively seem as more upmarket than the A-Class...

The huge image cost is ruining the freshly introduced purist's 2er range and, moreover, slashing the consistency of the whole BMW lineup such as it has been engraved into our minds for years now (even more so recently with the addition of the 2er and 4er COUPES ranges) and which justified for example charging a 6er more than a 5er or an X6 more than X5, or perceiving a 4er as a baby-6er.
The difference is that up until now, charging an even-numbered model more than the immediately below odd-numbered model was justified on style/conceptual grounds (a coup is kind of logically more upmarket than the sedan it is based upon), but now this 2er MINIVAN is placed above the 1er hatch without any style/conceptual upgrade to back it up (rather the contrary, the Active Tourer is much less a true BMW than an 1er hatch and would at best deserve to be slotted into the 1er range) and intrudes on the 2er Coup territory.

Let this model be, but leave it in the 1er range where it belongs and do not make all this mess just to try and drain a little more out of this anti-BMW-core-value cash cow...

Called it 2 to charge more money. Hope to dispose of large volumes and don't care if it impacts on Coupe as will only make small volumes compared to the small bus. Also in the UK at least BMW has trashed values of the 1 series by offering Large discounts to get rid of volume.

BMW hooked on volume like a drug and are starting to look like Ford and GM.

[Dr.Sommer]

Everything below 3 series will be front wheel drive. That is set in stone now.
End of the pure breeds. I remember the saying of a former BMW exec. in a magazine interview when asked about small models/fwd at a time when a E36 Coupe was the size of a 2 Coupe: "Everything smaller than a 3er can not live up to BMW standards. For our customer it is enough to say they drive a BMW, they should not need to state which model"
It was Mr. Pischetsrieder and unfortunately he failed with Rover due to factors he could not influence, but he was wise enough to do the Un-BMWs with sub brands.
Now the core brand has to go through all that and some of us already feel how it will end...
A balloon can only be inflated to a certain level, if you want more, get a 2nd balloon.

[advantage20]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

The branding decision is the equivalent of this:

Imagine back in 1999 when BMW was launching its first SUV: they figured it was based on a 5 series but they wanted it to be more upmarket so they called it the 640i instead of the X5.

Originally Posted by georgere

I tell you what - they should have called it 325i and charge even more.

[OneDirty]

Fail.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

You're making my laugh - that was a good one.

I am getting my M235 without ever having tried it out. Yikes !!!!

Which did you order? The coupe, the cabrio or the minivan?

[Chill72]

Wow, that thing is ghastly.

BMW front end just doesn't match that shape of a car

[Wolf]

What's even more funny is that there's another minivan coming as well

[Rupes]

Originally Posted by Wolf

What's even more funny is that there's another minivan coming as well

I vote for it to be called the M530. M standing for BMW's long, rich history of fine "minivan" production of course.

[BMW-ALPINA]

Originally Posted by Rupes

I vote for it to be called the M530. M standing for BMW's long, rich history of fine "minivan" production of course.

Haha, no! A M530 would make sense. I vote for M425i Active Tourer Minivan xDrive M-sport Luxury Line Efficient Dynamics Edition. This model will be a 7 seaters. Next year after the 4´er we will see the M625i Active Tourer 9-seaters edition. The M625i AT would be powered with an 1,0 liters 2 cylinder engine with 4 turbos and 300 HP powered by BMW Marketing.. I mean BMW Motorsport.. And the best of all: FWD.

I also vote for 225i Active Tourer Gran Turismo. A cross between 225i AT and 3 GT.

[BMW-ALPINA]

I forgot this. The whole 2-series lineup:

[N47_Drei]

Not bad I don't know why everyone is so negative about it. Smart move BMW, looks to me like they're being competitive with other automakers. Give the consumers out there an option. For use enthusiast, we have the option to buy the M cars, and performance models that still stand out, turn heads, and blow your mind. progress is better then struggling.

So BMW

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by clbmw

Which did you order? The coupe, the cabrio or the minivan?

The coupe. at least I think that's what I am getting

[Dr.Sommer]

Originally Posted by N47_Drei

Not bad I don't know why everyone is so negative about it. Smart move BMW, looks to me like they're being competitive with other automakers. Give the consumers out there an option. For use enthusiast, we have the option to buy the M cars, and performance models that still stand out, turn heads, and blow your mind. progress is better then struggling.

So BMW

Its easy to explain: before the excitement was not only for the products, but for the whole brand. Now, since the formerly sharp brand profile is streched and diluted, excitement is limited to certain models. The long term problem for bmw is that people may be excited by certain models of any brand. Former loyal bmw customers will jump to whatever brand has the most exciting model at that time.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

First, the 2-er name just blows the whole “even numbers for coupé [rooflines]” apart.

We enthousiasts should actually applaud these new models for at least two reasons.
1. If (heaven forbid) you did need to buy a small minivan, at least BMW makes one now.
2. These small vehicles keep BMW’s overall CAFE rating high. This means more high-performance models can be justified before the fines paid to the environmentalists get too burdensome. With tighter restrictions on high performance vehicles just over the horizon, these models are needed to lessen the impact.

[Ganxxta]

Ok, so why is this "thing" in the "BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet" forum?

Make a new one especially for this and please don't let us see it again in here.

[lasovan]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

First, the 2-er name just blows the whole “even numbers for coupé [rooflines]” apart.

We enthousiasts should actually applaud these new models for at least two reasons.
1. If (heaven forbid) you did need to buy a small minivan, at least BMW makes one now.
2. These small vehicles keep BMW’s overall CAFE rating high. This means more high-performance models can be justified before the fines paid to the environmentalists get too burdensome. With tighter restrictions on high performance vehicles just over the horizon, these models are needed to lessen the impact.

smart words!

[zarehs27]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

First, the 2-er name just blows the whole “even numbers for coupé [rooflines]” apart.

We enthousiasts should actually applaud these new models for at least two reasons.
1. If (heaven forbid) you did need to buy a small minivan, at least BMW makes one now.
2. These small vehicles keep BMW’s overall CAFE rating high. This means more high-performance models can be justified before the fines paid to the environmentalists get too burdensome. With tighter restrictions on high performance vehicles just over the horizon, these models are needed to lessen the impact.

I totally agree....I love BMW, and indeed I'd rather have a BMW minivan than any other brand...actually I'm passionate enough that I would like one day to own almost every model and each with a specific use, from a Bike to an i8
But..BUT...WHY??....(PLEASE SCOTT26 JUST EXPLAIN THIS) WHY IS THIS CALLED A 2 SERIES?????????????
Even an enthusiast like me is completely lost and have absolutely no justification for the naming.

[nso98]

but the 225i Active Tourer smacks of minivan. Is that what it is? If so, do you think BMW is diluting their exclusivity by appealing too much to the masses?

[Luminor513]

😳� nice minivan...oh Nevermind it's a 2 series, how could I mistake the family resemblance.

[Propagator]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Its a response to the market and the growth of compact crossovers.
Sales alone have increased 45% and the leader of the segment is the Mercedes-Benz B-Klasse which has surpassed around 100,000 units since introduction in 2011.

It absolutely makes sense for BMW to venture in this segment because there are customers that want more from a typical minivan MPV crossover type vehicle, compact customers are now buying premium Marques and shunning volume Marques. This is where Active Tourer can effectively become a global player.

Is it a BMW? Not all BMWs are high performance , Active Tourer combines performance with efficiency. I recently drove the new MINI , sorry but its the best MINI ever! A perfect combination of dynamics , agility and typical MINI go-kart style sense of fun when you hit the corners.

This car utilises that same architecture and BMW set out to not only make the best RWD cars in the world but also carve a signature for itself in FWD , important for the company especially when its two direct competitors are FWD.
Active Tourer follows the same philosophy as the BMW X5 , purely a concept that is aimed to be driven.

Active Tourer is also the opening salvo in a new niche for BMW.
Plans are being considered in addition to the 2er to offer a larger Active Tourer a combination of Touring , Coupe but much more sleeker for the 4er based upon the LWB 3er which mean it will retain RWD.

Active Tourer will be offered in North America as it was successfully clinic evaluated by potential customers including those that have BMWs and those that own domestic or other import Minivan/crossovers.
Some tested could actually see this as the primary BMW whilst others who own a BMW reckon the Active Tourer could become the secondary BMW.

With the presentation of the concept. BMW allowed a registration programme.
Over 100,000 units people registered their interest. If we can transfer that into sales this could become the next big niche for BMW after the X family.

It will also give BMW further means to progress and develop models for their growing customer base.

SCOTT26, I get that it is (a small part of) your job to spin and defend whatever your employer does on this board. But does it ever occur to you that, when there is such an overwhelmingly negative reaction from the online enthusiasts community, simply posting another one of your standard German-marketing-dribble-google-translated-to-English-sounding nonsense is really not going to 1. convince anybody who doesn't already like it and 2. make your employer look good?

I get why BMW wants to do this car. After all, it's not like there is a more purist luxury car company that people on this board can just jump to. Besides, the enthusiast community is only a small piece of your customer base.

But you can't deny that BMW, through the enormous sales success of the last decade, has been benefiting from its image as an uncompromising, performance oriented brand. Just because most Porsche owners never take their cars to the track does not mean that they don't care about the IDEA of driving something that is supposed to be a purist enthusiast car. Likewise, a typical 5 series owner may not be what you would call an enthusiast, but I would bet that he likes the idea of owning a car that people that know a lot more about cars than he does think is really cool. Enthusiasts community might be a small minority, but it is also one that, in the long run, has an out-sized influence on your brand image.

Now, can anyone honestly say that even if BMW was building FWD cars like this MPV throughout the 70's and 80's, it would still have the same brand image as it does now? Of course not. So essentially BMW is using up, rather than building up, its brand equity, at least in so far as it being a company that makes the Ultimate Driving Machines.

And I guess that's ok. It's clear that BMW wants to be what Mercedes should have been, the most dominant mainstream luxury car maker. And I'm sure that makes perfect business sense. But don't expect the enthusiast community to go along with it without a lot of bitching and moaning, especially when BMW doesn't even have the decency to not name this mini-mini-van a 2 series.

Really, people at BMW HAD TO know that this nomenclature would be met with ridicule from people that know enough about cars, and especially BMW. The clear message is that they don't really care. BMW not only had to do an MPV, but they had to name it a 2 series, because, why? Most likely so that it won't have to be renamed when the entire 2 series line up turn into FWD in ~5 years. But in the mean time, do expect a lot of ridicule from the small but vocal portion of your customer base, because frankly, it is pretty hilarious what BMW did here.

[advantage20]

The Active Tourer has right to life within the BMW lineup, period.

But slotting this model into the 2er range is as sacrilegious as, say, slotting the larger MPV/family vehicle that is planned into the 4er range*. Not only obviously inconsistent in regards to BMW's hierarchical lineup (like if the Mercedes B-Class family minivan was called CLA Sportvan or something) but blatantly insulting towards BMW's traditional Coupé clientele, which shows how little consideration BMW has for them and how much more consideration it has for families buying this minivan in mass volumes.

__________
* Oh wait, they actually are planning it!

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Plans are being considered in addition to the 2er to offer a larger Active Tourer a combination of Touring , Coupe but much more sleeker for the 4er based upon the LWB 3er which mean it will retain RWD

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

The coupe. at least I think that's what I am getting

I hope you won't be too dissapointed with it.......

As someone that has driven it's mechanically identical hatchback cousin, I won't be replacing my E82 with a M235 anytime soon or ever probably.
Getting back into my E82 afterwards was heaven.


I doubt I'll be buying another BMW at all to be honest - as they clearly have decided to stop making affordable, decent drivers cars in favour of

I'm sure the M2 if they make it, will be a peach, but it won't be affordable.