BMW Concept Active Tourer U.S.-bound after all

BMW has confirmed that it will sell the production version of its Concept Active Tourer in the United States.

Unveiled at last year's Paris Motor Show, the Concept Active Tourer – which takes the form of a compact MPV – will become BMW's first-ever front-wheel drive vehicle. At the time of its unveiling it was thought that the Concept Active Tourer would be reserved for the European market, where hatchbacks are extremely popular, but BMW North America CEO Ludwig Willisch confirmed to Automotive News that the people mover will eventually be sold on these shores.

Although the vast majority of Americans prefer SUVs and crossovers to wagons and hatches, Willisch explained that the Concept Active Tourer's main draw in the United States will be its blend of style and utility.

“There are customers that want a car that is good looking and has more versatility,” he said. “You can fold the seats down for cargo and drive with five people. A concept that has a drivetrain with front-wheel drive is much more helpful as far as interior space than one where you have the engine in the front and the rear axle is driven.”

Willisch added that the Concept Active Tourer will hit the market “in the foreseeable future but not this year.”

Whether the U.S. market is ready for a front-wheel drive BMW-badged MPV, however, remains to be seen.