Automotive

BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor has dual-bike-carrying system

BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor has dual-bike-carrying system
The bike carrier's pivoting arm makes for easy assembly
The bike carrier's pivoting arm makes for easy assembly
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The bicycle carrier is attached to the rear driver's side via a rail system
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The bicycle carrier is attached to the rear driver's side via a rail system
A separate holder secures the front wheels
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A separate holder secures the front wheels
The carrier holds bikes for transport and maintenance thanks to a pivoting arm
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The carrier holds bikes for transport and maintenance thanks to a pivoting arm
A hidden storage compartment holds tools and saddles
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A hidden storage compartment holds tools and saddles
The Concept Active Tourer Outdoor includes some of the latest ConnectedDrive technologies
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The Concept Active Tourer Outdoor includes some of the latest ConnectedDrive technologies
The Outdoor concept was designed to showcase efficient use of interior space
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The Outdoor concept was designed to showcase efficient use of interior space
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor gets an exclusive Gold Race Orange paint job
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor gets an exclusive Gold Race Orange paint job
The Outdoor uses a 190-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain
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The Outdoor uses a 190-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
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The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
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The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
The bike carrier's pivoting arm makes for easy assembly
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The bike carrier's pivoting arm makes for easy assembly
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
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The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
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The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
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The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
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The BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
BMW worked with the Austrian Tyrol tourist board to develop an Alpine tour guide for the Outdoor concept
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BMW worked with the Austrian Tyrol tourist board to develop an Alpine tour guide for the Outdoor concept
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
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The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
View gallery - 26 images

Just because the average crossover sees more time on mall parking lot asphalt than on dirt doesn't mean that manufacturers have abandoned the great outdoors completely. It just means that crossovers designed to actually venture into the outdoors are mostly concept cars and limited editions. BMW hasn't been shy about releasing such concepts, including last year's X1 Concept K2 Powder Ride and the all-new Concept Active Tourer Outdoor.

While the X1 Powder Ride was based on an actual production car, the Concept Active Tourer Outdoor is a sort of niche limited edition version of another concept car. We don't anticipate it getting produced anytime soon.

BMW must have realized the Concept Active Tourer it showed at last fall's Paris Motor Show was a nice platform for an outdoor-specific concept, thanks to its Earth-friendly plug-in hybrid powertrain and hatchback engineering. Like the original Concept Active Tourer, the Outdoor uses a powertrain with a 1.5-liter TwinPower turbo engine up front and an eDrive motor system in back. The motor and engine work together to put out up to 190 hp. BMW says that the Outdoor combines sporty driving characteristics with an estimated 113 mpg imperial (94 mpg US) fuel economy. It can travel between 12 and 19 miles (19 - 30 km) on electric motor power alone.

The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair
The Outdoor concept debuts at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair

Because the Concept Active Tourer Outdoor's lithium-ion battery is mounted below the load compartment floor, the concept offers plenty of space for passengers and gear. That space is put to use as a dual bike loading zone. The rear seats fold flat and a dual-bike carrier secures to the left wall of the trunk area, holding the bikes inside the car and eliminating some of the hassles of mounting them to the roof, trunk or hitch. The bikes' front wheels are removed and stored on a separate mount on the back of the folded rear right seat.

A separate holder secures the front wheels
A separate holder secures the front wheels

The bike carrier's hardware includes sliding rails and a pivoting arm that allows it to double as a sort of bike stand, holding the bikes for repair and assembly. A hidden storage compartment in the load area floor holds the bicycle saddles (which must be taken off for loading), bike tools and parts. The compartment's cover doubles as a seat or step. When the bicycle carrier is not in use, it stores in the side structure of the car or the load compartment floor.

Giving potential Concept Active Tourer Outdoor drivers one more incentive to get outside, BMW worked with the Austrian Tyrol tourist board to develop an integrated "Heart of the Alps" route guide. The guide leverages BMW's ConnectedDrive technology to outline routes and activities throughout the Seefeld, Ötztal and Zillertal regions. The detailed suggested routes have directions, points of interest, activities, and lodging and dining information.

The Concept Active Tourer Outdoor includes some of the latest ConnectedDrive technologies
The Concept Active Tourer Outdoor includes some of the latest ConnectedDrive technologies

To add a little extra outdoor legitimacy to the new concept, BMW debuts it not at an international auto show or event, but at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen show, where it's on display amid a sea of tents, hiking boots and outdoor clothes.

BMW doesn't mention any intentions of building the Concept Active Tourer Outdoor, or the hatchback bicycle carrier system. It does say that the car "offers a preview of drive variants that promise to feature in compact class vehicles in the future," so we assume its particular version of plug-in hybrid hardware will make it into production. The "Heart of the Alps" tour guide is also real and can be accessed at summerdrive-tirol.com.

Bike-toting car concepts have been rather fashionable of late. Hyundai revealed the Veloster C3 Roll Top in LA last year, and Smart proved that you can carry bikes even in a tiny two-seater.

Source: BMW

View gallery - 26 images
6 comments
6 comments
Sam Sams
Holds two bike inside for storage and repairs 'n all. Like any van could...
Daishi
It is kind of a cool concept if you are afraid of theft/damage of storing the bikes outside the car but I always wonder why many SUV's lack a trailer hitch. Companies like Thule and Yakima make bike racks that are simple to attach to a trailer hitch which work well for this application for $200 - $300 mostly.
You can also get small trailers for things like Kyaks etc. (or even ATV's, small campers etc.) that really don't require any significant towing capacity. It is hard to call something a utility vehicle without one.
Mark A
I like my bikes inside out of the airstream. Plus my concern over theft diminishes. Nice design.
Kris Lee
Looks like BMW is stepping on the same rake again. They thought that X1 would be a youngsters car with all the bikes and surfboards. No, it was not. It is car bought by oldsters (and women).
Now again they promote a nice car to who, a mid age couple? These people will not fill their car with some stupid bikes. They have children!
Anyway, nice concept, wrong target.
Slowburn
re; Sam Sams
Even without the overly costly hybrid propulsion this would get better mileage than a van.
duh3000
Very nice. An excellent design alternative to the Opel Astra "Flexi" slide-out rear bike carrier "tray". The advantage of that design is that it doesn't change the interior of the car but, as has been said, it has the disadvantage of leaving the bikes outside.
As to Kris Lee's comment about the "mid age couple" (ie middle aged), I agree that the X1 is not a "surfer's car" and never will be. Still, I suppose BMW are considering this age/sector again because this new edition of their "outdoor fun" concept isn't going to be cheap either !