Engineering:BMW UKL platform
| BMW UKL platform | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | BMW |
| Parent company | BMW Group |
| Production | 2014–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Subcompact car Compact car |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive Front-engine, all-wheel-drive |
The UKL platform (Untere Klasse, "lower class" in German)[1] is a modular automobile platform developed by German car manufacturer BMW. It is a modular architecture to suit a range of front-wheel-drive and all-wheel drive models.
The objective of the front-wheel-drive UKL platform is to offer smaller models with a large interior space, with enough room for passengers in the rear seats and large cargo space. These objectives are only possible to achieve by mounting transverse three or four-cylinder engines.[2] At the time of release, BMW announced that any model under 4.5 m (177 in) in length and smaller than a 3 Series will make use of the UKL platform.[3] According to Ian Robertson, BMW sales and marketing chief, "One of the big advantages of UKL is that we are able to launch a lot of products almost simultaneously because we are doing the engineering at once."[4]
The platform has two derivatives: the UKL1 and UKL2. The first production vehicle to use the UKL platform is the 2014 Mini Hatch.[5] Another UKL platform derivative is the FAAR platform which was announced in 2017. It is designed with pure ICE, hybrid and electric powertrains in mind.[6]
UKL1 platform
Vehicles using platform (calendar years):
- Mini Hatch (F56) (2014–present)
- Mini Hatch 5-door (F55) (2014–present)
- Mini Convertible (F57) (2016–present)
UKL2 platform
The UKL2 platform is the larger version of the UKL platform. It debuted with the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer in 2014. The platform supports wheelbase length of 2,670 mm (105.1 in), and extendable to 2,780 mm (109.4 in) for long-wheelbase models.[2]
Vehicles using platform (calendar years):
- BMW 1 Series Sedan (F52) (2017–present)
- BMW 1 Series (F40) (2019–present)
- BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé (F44) (2019–present)
- BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (F45) (2014–2021)
- BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (F46) (2015–2021)
- BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (U06) (2021–present)
- BMW X1 (F48) (2015–2022)
- BMW X1 (U11) (2022–present)
- BMW X2 (F39) (2017–present)
- BMW X2 (U10) (2023–present)
- Mini Countryman (F60) (2017–2023)
- Mini Countryman (U25) (2023–present)
- Mini Clubman (F54) (2016–2023)
- Zinoro 60H (F48) (2017–2020)
See also
References
- ↑ Kacher, Georg (2017-07-24). "Erste Infos zum neuen 1er" (in de). Auto Bild. http://www.autobild.de/artikel/bmw-1er-vorschau-5109646.html.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The platform UKL BMW: the secrets of front-wheel drive of the brand of Munich – small luxury cars" (in en-US). https://smallluxurycars.com/the-platform-ukl-bmw-the-secrets-of-front-wheel-drive-of-the-brand-of-munich.html.
- ↑ Panait, Mircea (2014-08-03). "BMW UKL Platform Could Underpin a Dozen Forthcoming Models" (in en). https://www.autoevolution.com/news/bmw-ukl-platform-could-underpin-a-dozen-forthcoming-models-84751.html.
- ↑ "BMW UKL platform to underpin up to 12 models - report" (in en). https://www.motor1.com/news/35191/bmw-ukl-platform-to-underpin-up-to-12-models-report/.
- ↑ Holloway, Hilton (2013-07-21). "How BMW and Mini will sell a million cars per year off one platform". Autocar. http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/how-bmw-and-mini-will-sell-million-cars-year-one-platform. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
- ↑ "Insight: how new BMW platforms can cope with multiple powertrains" (in en). https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/insight-how-new-bmw-platforms-can-cope-multiple-powertrains.
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