SPIED: BMW's All-New MPV, The Active Tourer, Seen AGAIN Undergoing Testing — Is BMW Building Something NO ONE Asked For?

To loosely paraphrase the iconic 1980s movie, Ferris Bueller: "Automakers move pretty fast. Once and a while you have to stop and ask a question or two or they'll just pass you by." That couldn't be any more true in cases like this.

Let's see. BMW is currently producing the following:

- X1
- X3
- 3-Series sedan
- 3-Series GT
- 3-Series wagon

And now it's trying to add in an MPV that we assume will be based on some sort of 1-Series chassis. Is it me or does this seem nonsensical when the Mercedes-Benz R-Class was discontinued as the only folks buying them were livery car companies in New York City?

We know Mercedes-Benz is up to something currently being dubbed the V-Class, so, perhaps there's an unknown ground swell happening in Europe.

That said, what say you, Spies? Is this another ill-conceived project or is it the BMW everyone's been waiting for?

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t_bone - 11/4/2013 9:37:19 PM

+3 Boost

This is a totally different size class from the R, which is (was) a very long, roomy vehicle with 3 rows. What killed the R for me was the giant swinging rear doors instead of sliders.

In principle I would love a family hauler from BMW with the lowest possible center of gravity and maximum interior space. Me and maybe 6 others in the U.S. But this? No.

Yonder7 - 11/5/2013 6:52:24 AM

+1 Boost

Another waste of resources is a car that no one wants from BMW...they did not learn anything with the R class (which was great) but not a good seller. May be if BMW put a very low price...but still is an ugly car...beyond R class in the ugly sense.

Car4Life - 11/5/2013 7:26:27 AM

+1 Boost

Are the designers at Bimmer bored...your competitor Mercedes Benz is delivering Direct Hit after Direct Hit...and this is your response...Bimmer should've learned from their own 5 series GT, forget the R Class, the R Class has at least found a successful retirement in the Manhattan Limo services

Agent00R - 11/5/2013 8:48:08 PM

+1 Boost

Let's see if the 3GT sells.

Still waiting to see if it sinks or floats...

MattDarringer - 11/5/2013 8:45:46 AM

0 Boost

No one wanted an ugly EV hatchback with a short range from BMW, but they did the i3. No one wanted a $100K Mitshbishi Eclipse looking ugly EV, but they did the i8. No one wanted the X6 or the 5GT, but they built those too. The Germans hallucinate a niche and then scramble to fill it.

cidflekken - 11/5/2013 1:00:14 PM

+1 Boost

BMW is continuing to dilute its own image.

BMW is no longer the "Ultimate Driving Machine". It's goal is to become the "Ultimate People Carrying Machine".

Yonder7 - 11/6/2013 6:30:46 AM

+1 Boost

Agent00R : Sorry man, I bet that you already know that it will sink...