In 2014, BMW did the unthinkable by launching its first automotive with a front-wheel-drive format. Not solely that, however the 2 Collection Lively Tourer was a minivan. It was a far cry from the “final driving machine” ethos, and Munich doubled down with a seven-seat Gran Tourer spinoff. Nonetheless, a household hauler had been on the corporate’s thoughts since no less than the early Nineteen Nineties.
Earlier than the unique X5 (E53) was authorised for manufacturing, BMW had thought-about a minivan to increase its lineup past the same old crop of sedans, wagons, and coupes. Minivans have been nonetheless a giant deal in Nineteen Nineties America, earlier than SUVs progressively took over beginning that decade. Appointed head of product planning in June 1994, Wealthy Brekus remembers being requested throughout his interview about his opinion on a individuals mover.
“Vic (Doolan, BMW of North America president) requested me one essential query, and I nonetheless don’t know if it was a critical query or if he was testing me: ‘Munich is considering doing a minivan. Do you assume we must always do a minivan?’ I mentioned: ‘You’d be out of your thoughts to do a minivan, however you must do an SUV. Not an off-road SUV, however an on-road SUV. That’s the place the market’s going.’”
It’s protected to say Brekus was proper on the cash. Had BMW green-lighted a minivan as a substitute of the X5, the corporate would’ve been late to the SUV social gathering. That may’ve allowed Mercedes to seize much more gross sales with the M-Class (1997) and Lexus with its RX (1998). The Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade additionally arrived on the flip of the century, adopted shortly by the Porsche Cayenne. BMW’s timing was proper, and it might’ve been even higher had the E53 not been delayed by a 12 months.
By 2014, when the F45/F46 got here out, Bavaria’s lineup already included 4 further crossovers. There was the X1, X3, X6, plus the X4 launched that 12 months. Having broadened its choices, BMW had the liberty to check the waters with a minivan. Quick-forward to 2025, and the MPV experiment remains to be ongoing. Nonetheless, reviews counsel it is perhaps coming to an finish later this decade. The two Collection Lively Tourer (U06) will supposedly be phased out fully in 2027.
Enjoyable reality: there was truly a BMW-powered minivan within the Nineteen Nineties. The Italdesign Columbus was a wacky nine-seater with a V12 engine borrowed from the 7 Collection (E32). A naturally aspirated 5.0-liter “M70” unit, mounted transversely in the midst of the car, delivered 300 horsepower to all 4 wheels. Coincidentally, the polarizing 1992 idea featured a central driver’s seat, identical to one other BMW V12-powered automotive of that period, the mighty McLaren F1.
