Audi A3-Based MPV Will Take on BMW Active Tourer

AudiAudiGermany, 1909 > present83 models
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and BMWBMWGermany, 1918 > present87 models
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are both working on luxury, compact MPVs. BMW has the Concept Active TourerBMW Concept Active TourerGermany, 2012 > 201240 photos
based on the 1-SeriesBMW 1 Series Gen.2 [F20] Germany, 2011 > present130 versions
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, and Audi is working on a still unnamed A3Audi A3 Gen.3 [Typ 8V]Germany, 2012 > present275 versions
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-based MPV that will take on the BMW directly. 

The Audi will be offered with either five or seven seats and be based on the Volkswagen Group MQB platform that underpins nearly all of the group's compact cars. It will sit slightly higher than a regular A3 but not as high as a crossover. 

A concept for the Audi compact MPV is reportedly finished, but no decision has been made whether to display the car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in early September. 

Audi avoided the full-size MPV market when it was popular in Europe a decade ago by saying that the cars were boring, but it has said that a smaller, more stylish car that could still seat seven people in a pinch would be more its style. 

Source: Autocar