PARIS MOTOR SHOW: BMW unveils X2 concept

BMW has given the first insight into what its long-awaited X2 SUV will look like in production form, unveiling the Concept X2 at the Paris motor show overnight.

The German car maker is set to play on the same well-utilised strategy of the X4 and X6 coupe-cum-SUV spin-offs with the production X2 when it lands locally in 2018, offering a swoopy sibling that shares many common underbody parts with the more conventional X1 and upcoming MINI Countryman.

In unveiling the near-production Concept X2 in Paris, BMW also set the tone for a bold new styling language set to be adopted by some future models. Present on the prototype is a unique and much more prominent iteration of the marque’s signature kidney grille, complemented by a large central air duct and prominent outside curtains. The car’s appearance is completed with a heavily raked A-pillar that stretches back to a tapered rear roofline and angular tailgate.

“This is a sporty vehicle with a bold character, and it allows us to open up some fascinating new design possibilities for the BMW brand,” said BMW’s head of design, Karim Habib.

It is expected the production model will lose several of the Concept X2’s styling idiosyncrasies, however, such as its distinctively styled mirrors and flamboyant trim finishes. Even so, the close-to-production finish ensures BMW’s diminutive SUV is on track to tackle Range Rover’s Evoque, Mercedes’ GLA SUV and Audi's upcoming Q4 in the sales race.

BMW hasn’t revealed details about what engines will power the X2 production model, but speculation suggests a family of transversely-mounted four-cylinder units, including a higher-powered M-Performance derivative.

Regardless, it is clear the car maker is close to making its sixth proposed SUV a reality.