BMW has confirmed it will not add a SUV to its new i sub-brand because it will not fit the brand’s image.
“We’re not thinking about [a] SUV on i models. For BMW i we are talking about an urban concept for megacities. The thing with the SUVs is nobody needs four-wheel drive for the city. The SUV trend is only a thing about the space or the roominess,” explained Roland Kowalski, the i3′s project manager, in an interview with Australian website Car Advice.
The company has trademarked the names i1 through i9 and it is believed to be in the early stages of developing new models that will slot between the i3 city car and the i8 sports car. Rumored to adopt the name i5, the next addition to the range will likely take the form of a tall crossover or a large sedan that will be available with either an all-electric drivetrain or a more flexible plug-in hybrid unit.
BMW is focusing on successfully launching the i3 and the i8 in key markets around the globe so a third model is still several years away from landing in showrooms.
While an all-electric i-badged SUV is out of the question, BMW is moving forward with the launch of a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid variant of the X5 that was previewed as a thinly-veiled concept called X5 eDrive at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
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