By: IOL Motoring Staff
With the front-wheel drive 2 Series Active Tourer, BMW essentially created a car for the school run and now that 'pioneering' Beemer has a sibling that can bring even more kids along for the ride.
The new 2 Series Gran Tourer is essentially a stretched Active Tourer that can seat up to seven occupants if you order it with the third row seating option. While similar in concept to the Renault Grand Scenic and Volkswagen Touran, BMW says it's the first vehicle of its kind in the 'premium' segment.
Not that South African buyers will have such an option though, as BMW SA has no plans to bring the Gran Tourer to our shores.
What we're missing out on is a versatile BMW van with adaptable rear seats and up to 1905 litres of loading space if all is folded flat.
Making the journey all the more pleasant are options like fold-out tables in the back and new features like the “MyKidio” app that transmits child-appropriate visual content onto tablets to keep rear passengers entertained on long journeys. The system even allows parents to keep tabs on what's being watched in the back.
European buyers will get to choose from five turbo-charged three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with outputs ranging from 85kW to 141kW and those not content with that power going to the front wheels can opt for one of the xDrive all-wheel drive configurations available with the bigger engines.
But is BMW SA correct in not seeing a gap for this practical Beemer in South Africa? Have your say below.