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BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer

Our spies have caught the front-wheel-drive BMW FAST family car in cold-weather testing

BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer front three-quarters

By Damion Smy

08th February 2012

There are plenty of spy shots of new BMWs around, but this set are of the firm's first front-wheel-drive model in over 50 years.

This is the BMW FAST, which stands for Family Activity Sports Tourer. The name is BMW's code for the first car in a range of front-drive models it's planning. Eventually the maker hopes to sell as many front-drive cars as it does rear-drive by 2020.

The FAST is a premium hatchback that's designed to compete with the Mercedes B-Class and top-of-the-range MPVs such as the Ford C-MAX and VW Touran. It's based on the same platform as the next-generation MINI, which is due to arrive in 2013. BMW will develop its new front-wheel-drive models in conjunction with MINI in a bid to share development costs.

The front-drive layout means cabin and boot space will be better than in the 1 Series, while a new generation of petrol and diesel engines will be capable of making up to 155bhp, while producing less than 100g/km of CO2.

As this platform will also be used for the next-generation MINI Countryman, it's likely that a four-wheel-drive version of the FAST will appear. Expect the FAST to go on sale in 2013, possibly with a variation on the 1 Series name.

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7 Comments

Is there no end to BMW genius?

Another wonderful BMW. Made in Europe with a propeller badge on its nose. You just know that it is going to be another masterpiece. And look on in wonderment, in a stroke of pure technological genius, BMW have just invented front-wheel drive!

Other vehicles - especially those made in certain oriental countries that will remain nameless - simply cannot compete. Are they made in Europe? Do they have the propeller badge? Are they BMWs?

By prosperity on 8 February, 2012, 11:22pm

How is this a new story?

We've seen the pictures before and we're already aware of the proposed platform sharing with the next MINI range.

Thank God they're not calling it the Family Activity Road Tourer.

By snappyuk on 9 February, 2012, 8:21am

Is there too much BMW Genius

Prosperity I don't understand where you are coming from - I presume you are aware that BMWs are built in the US and in China? All the X models you drive in Europe are built in the US!
I think that BMW is in danger of diluting the brand - if they already haven't. Deviating away from the rear drive platform is an example of an about face from several years ago when they denied they would ever offer a front wheel drive vehicle. People will still buy BMWs of course but I wonder if brand saturation will ultimately impact on the gross profit from each vehicle.

By johnericl on 9 February, 2012, 9:52am

BMW Family Activity Road Tourer

Are you sure it's not a FIAT? If it turns out to look anything like the picture, at's a shoe-in for title of the Most Boring Beemer ever made

By Independentopinion on 9 February, 2012, 10:46am

BMW = Best Motors getting Worse

This would be the next stage of devaluation of premium brands. Mercedes did it with the A abd B -class, Audi long time ago with the A3 and TT (both are just VW Golf, Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia with some other outfit). In the last case even the sacret Quatro badge was not spared giving this name to an imported semi-permanent Haldex modular system. BMW were the last to resist such honor depletion, but I see economy has got them tight as well.

By Stivans on 10 February, 2012, 8:11am

Does it really work in the snow?

Its nice to know theirs a BMW that will be able to go up a hill in the snow. Its so much fun watching 3 and 5 series skid side ways as truck comes down the hill on the opposite side of the road.

The spirit of Nelson Muntz takes over. Ha Ha

By Madsteve7 on 13 February, 2012, 1:38pm

Yours for just 15K

+10K for the badge + 5K +1K +1.5K +1K+ + + =

By liverpool on 28 February, 2012, 10:20pm

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Pictures

BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer front three-quarters
BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer rear three-quarters
BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer profile
BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer rear

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