The imaginatively-titled BMW Concept Compact Sedan could preview a successor to the smallest cars in the BMW range, the 1 Series and 2 Series.
The German manufacturer has been hinting for a while at a front-wheel-drive future for its smaller cars, based on the same platforms as its best-selling MINI brand. It's a formula that's already begun to prove itself in the 2 Series Active Tourer and X1, and so it's fair to expect that the Concept Compact Sedan could follow those cars into the realms of front-wheel-drive.
In future the MINI's scalable platform could spawn as many as 20 new models, ranging in size from a city car to a Golf-sized hatchback or saloon. It would make sense, as it seems most buyers in this compact sector of the market don't care which wheels are driven. The benefits a front-drive platform bring in terms of practicality are huge - and it doesn't have to translate into a dull drive, as the MINI proves.
The Concept Compact Sedan, if put into production, would rival the Audi A3 Saloon and Mercedes CLA. It would likely use the same range of turbocharged 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre engines as the 2 Series Active Tourer, with the potential for a hot version from the company's M division. As with the 2 Series Active Tourer, xDrive four-wheel-drive is likely to be an option. To ensure it doesn't compete too closely with the MINI we'd expect a more comfort-biased suspension setup.
The BMW Concept Compact Sedan appears to include all the hallmarks of BMW design, but in a sleeker package than the 1 Series or 2 Series. It features chiselled bodywork, and though the 20-inch wheels may not be the most practical for production they're undeniably striking. Inside, it's business as usual, with the firm's iDrive infotainment system taking pride of place in an interior that's instantly recognisable as a BMW – albeit with the futuristic materials expected from a concept.
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