BMW's Concept X2 Previews a Meaner Crossover; 3 Series Gran Turismo Goes Wide

It looks like BMW isn’t interested in slotting a slightly larger crossover above the X1 that resembles both it and the larger X3.

The automaker’s Concept X2, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, is a departure from the brand’s existing utility lineup, with styling designed to appeal to a sportier buying demographic.

If the concept’s styling cues carry over into the production X2, it might be the first BMW utility worthy of the watered-down “coupe-like” term.

The vehicle is designed “for active people looking for a combination of enjoyment and practicality,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, in a statement. With styling designed to visually boost the vehicle’s width, the Concept X2 looks hunkered down and mean, not to mention athletic.

Muscular fender bulges, a steeply slanted rear window and lowered greenhouse removes much of the boxiness seen in other BMW X vehicles. Up front, the signature BMW kidney grille has its organs reversed, with the openings now wider at the bottom than the top. Below it, a wide central air intake is flanked by two massive (and tall) air scoops. Unlike other X models, these headlights are compressed into a Clint Eastwood-like squint.

Comments made by van Hooydonk clearly show BMW wants to try something new. Expect similar, but likely less dramatic styling when the production X2 appears, probably within the next two years.

BMW didn’t come to Paris with just one item for show-and-tell. The automaker’s 2017 3 Series Gran Turismo liftbacks sport refreshed styling and new engine offerings, though it hasn’t delivered specific on the powerplants.

The models stretch 200 millimetres (7.9 inches) longer than the 3 Series sedans, with updated styling designed to stretch the vehicle’s width. A greater emphasis on horizontal lines, coupled with LED headlamps, foglights and taillights, spice up the vehicle’s exterior, while new materials and accents bump up the luxury feel inside the cabin.

BMW clearly felt that the Gran Turismo badge warranted a little more visual athleticism.

Offered with three gasoline engines and five diesels spread across various markets, the Gran Turismo range can be had with rear-drive or xDrive all-wheel drive. On the technology front, the new models are the first midsize Bimmer to offer the BMW Navigation system Professional infotainment package.

[Images BMW Group]