A BMW insider has told a local publication the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer will be coming to South Africa and will be launched in October.

The Active Tourer will be the first front-wheel model in BMW’s line-up and will be launched not only as a five-seater but also with a seven-seat layout.

Using the front-wheel drive UKL platform, the 2-Series Active Tourer will apparently be equipped with 3-cylinder, 1.5-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol and diesel engines which are also available in the new MINI.

Outputs for the petrol engines will range from 90 kW to 165 kW, while the diesels will start at 60 kW to 135 kW of power. It’s also rumoured that the Active Tourer might be fitted with another engine – a 2.0-litre turbodiesel delivering 135 kW of power and 380 Nm of torque.

The model will probably carry over some of the styling from the five-door hatchback concept that debut in Paris in 2012. Such as a prominent grille, LED-infused headlights, a sporty front fascia, an upward sweeping character line, a tailgate-mounted spoiler and 20-inch alloy wheels.

The production version of the Active Tourer is expected to be officially unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in March.