New BMW 2 Series Active Tourer Spied On The 'Ring Looking Agile

Just a year ago, we thought BMW would discontinue the 2 Series Active Tourer together with its seven-seat version, the 2 Series Grand Tourer, but obviously, that won't be the case. While the larger of the two will soon be gone for good, the two-row minivan will live to see another generation. These are the latest spy photos of that MPV, which take us to the Nurburgring.

We are quite surprised to see the Bavarian company is actually evaluating its FWD family hauler around the famous track but we are happy to report it's looking good in the corners. Sure, there's a significant body roll but the 2 Series AT is far from being a sports car after all.

Previous spy photos of the model have already revealed BMW will tweak the design formula. While the roof will remain tall as a key characteristic of the body shape, a lot of changes from the greenhouse to the location of the side mirrors will take place. Even the small details will be modified like the new i4-inspired door handles, while the radiator grille appears to be getting bigger in line with the trend currently followed by many manufacturers. 

The powertrain options should be shared with the new 1 Series, which morphed into an FWD hatchback in its latest generation. Look for a selection of gas and diesel turbo engines, sending power to the front wheels in the base versions. More expensive models will get an AWD layout but don't hold our breath for a sporty M Performance minivan with 300 horsepower since very few people would buy that. On the other side of the spectrum, the three-cylinder 1.5-liter diesel in the 216d will likely be discontinued.

BMW is still testing the new 2 Series Active Tourer with a lot of camouflage, which suggests a debut is not coming in the next few months. We expect to see it at some point next year.