Although previous BMW Group chairman Helmut Panke was never keen on the idea of a BMW-badged MPV, the Munich-based company’s new boss, Norbert Reithofer, has been sold on the idea of a (obviously sporty) 3 Series-based CUV (crossover utility vehicle).
According to , BMW’s long-rumoured 3 Series-based “CUV” has been given the green light to go into production. Expected to be badged F3 when it goes on sale in the next decade, the versatile compact executive had been under consideration since 2004, but the report suggests that Reithofer only recently gave the family-friendly five seater the final approval.
BMW’s decision to forge ahead with the new model coincides with growth in crossover sales in Europe and the ‘States. Despite its price premium, Mercedes-Benz’s B-Class has proved very popular in Germany, where more than 68 000 units were sold last year, and Benz’s archrival BMW won’t want to be left behind in that market!
“By combining the high seating position of an SUV with the space afforded by a traditional ‘wagon, crossovers… provide a clear alternative to buyers,” a source at BMW told . “Our goal is offer a “CUV” with the best possible dynamics.”
suggested that the début of BMW’s “CUV”, which will utilise a modified version of the existing 3 Series platform, is at least another three years away. Various components from the next-generation X3, due to be launched in 2009, and the new X5’s FlexRay high-speed data transmission system, will be adopted for the F3.
Apart from those facts, other details remain sketchy. The F3 will obviously be rear-wheel driven, although BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system might also be offered in combination with the range’s selection of four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.
Click here to view Motor Forecast’s artist impressions of BMW’s upcoming “CUV”.
