The upcoming front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series GT was spied on video near Munich. As we reported in the past, BMW plans to introduce a Gran Turismo variant of the 1 Series. Recent spy photos confirmed that the car is past the design table and onto the roads where test engineers iron out the technical kinks.
The 1 Series Gran Turismo, also known internally as Compact Activity Tourer, will be one of the first front-wheel drive vehicles from BMW. Design wise, the 1er GT follows the steps of the 5 Series GT niche model and also the future 3 Series GT.
The design lines are a mixture of a 5 door hatchback and a touring model. Rear legroom is said to be on par with the new 5 Series sedan.
1 GT will be 2 inches (5cm) longer than the 3-door and 5-door models, but it will sport an unique front-end. To reflect the Gran Turismo design, the 1 GT will have an elevated driving position, as seen in the 5 Gran Turismo.
The car is due out in 2013 and will pave the way for the third-generation 1 Series range in 2018, which will see the bulk of body styles switching to a front-wheel drive set-up.
The BMW Compact Activity Tourer is designed to be the more sportier offering and will not only share the N2 engine family with the new 1 Series hatchback, but also the three-cylinder N37 family in its entry level offerings.
The BMW Compact Activity Tourer will be one of five BMW FWD models, and one part of the 10 planned new MINI’s from the shared platform strategy.
[Video: 1addicts ]
Author: Horatiu Boeriu
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/11/02/spy-v ... -with-fwd/