We've already made a lot of fun of the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer. It's the Ford C-Max with a posh badge. That's not the biggest deal, though. This is the first front-wheel drive machine with a BMW logo on the front. Take a deep breath.

Never mind that "active tourer" sounds a little like a yoga mat. Get used to more FWD BMWs in the future – and some of them might be swankier to look at than this. But the 2-series Active Tourer, which officially debuts next month at the Geneva Motor Show, looks like it's going to be a practical and stylish package.

The interior shares a lot of current BMW cues, although it looks like there's more shelf and cubby space than in a 2-series coupe, for example. Let's forget the whole BMW naming scheme is screwed up.

But speaking of the 2 coupe, the top-range 225i Active Tourer will carry the 2.0-liter turbo four from that car. For people who think their Active Tourer doesn't look active enough, there will be an M Sport package available. No official word on U.S. availability, yet, though. BMW's North American execs have been eager to bring this car to the States, though.

They might as well. Don't you picture this becoming a staple outside of a Starbucks that's two doors away from the Pottery Barn that's across the way from a Lululemon?

Kill this before it multiplies!

I've lived through Bangle. I've lived through the naming bullshit. I've seen the death of the N/A straight six. I've even seen the stupid, stupid i3.

But this? This isn't a BMW. This isn't anything resembling a BMW. This is the symbol of a lost brand.

Anyone remember when these used to be the ultimate driving machines?

Someone in my neighborhood has a 1 Series M. It's hard to miss, with its wide fenders and quad exhaust pipes. It's orange, too, as if to further point out that there are just 739 like it in the U.S. and you don't have one. Whenever I see a 1 Series M, I think of this car's owner with no shortage of jealousy. Or, at least, I used to, because now there's the BMW M235i. You might not expect this to be the case. The M235i name, aside from being about as clumsy as that of the orange 1M, sounds dubious. The M division had little to do with its creation -- never mind what the 16 M badges adorning the car imply. The 3.0-liter turbo I-6 is the engine we know from the 3 and 4 Series (though it's rated 20 hp higher here), as is the eight-speed automatic. It only has two exhaust pipes, and it comes with an open differential (a limited-slip diff is optional, but pricing hasn't been announced yet). Further, it's bigger than the 1M and 155 pounds heavier by our scales. And though its Michelin Pilot Super Sports are newer, they're smaller than the 1M's Pilot Sport PS2's (225/40ZR18 88Y front, 245/35ZR18 92Y rear versus 245/35ZR19 93Y front, 265/35ZR19 rear).

BMW is out creating new niches yet again, with its latest prototype signaling a premium seven-seat compact MPV is on the horizon. The vehicle is essentially a seven-seat version of the recently revealed 2-Series Active Tourer, which features five seats and is the first BMW model to ride on the new UKL front-wheel-drive platform that debuted in the 2014 MINI Cooper.

This seven-seat version, distinguished by its stretched rear doors and extra-long rear overhang, should arrive towards the end of 2014 or early next year. Some of the shots show it next to its five-seat sibling, revealing the differences between the two, at least, externally. The expected name for the vehicle is 2-Series Gran Tourer.

Given the car's premium positioning, compact size and seven-seat configuration, the vehicle will have no direct rival, though the more affordable Fiat 500L, which comes in a seven-seat version overseas, may prove an alternative. Other potential rivals include the slightly larger Mazda 5, Opel Zafira and Volkswagen Sharan, though all of these are targeted at families on a budget. As you may have guessed by the list of rivals, this seven-seat BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer is unlikely to be offered in the U.S., though its smaller sibling is expected here in 2015.

The vehicle’s engine lineup should mirror that of the smaller 2-Series Active Tourer, meaning a series of three- and four-cylinder units, all of them turbocharged. The top model will be a 225i and at the other end of the spectrum will be a diesel-powered 218d. The 225i is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivering 231 horsepower. Further down the track, a hybrid version of the five-seat Active Tourer is due. It’s unlikely the hybrid will come with the seven-seat configuration of the Gran Tourer.

Sure, the BMW M235i would be a wonderful machine to put in your driveway or garage. It's not cheap though, and perhaps the 228i might be more in line with your budget. That doesn't mean you can't gain access to a vehicle that wants to reward you when the going gets twisty. BMW has just announced an option for those looking to extract more from their compact two-door. It's called the Track Handling Package, and it's jam-packed with enthusiasts goodies.

Should you check this box on the options list, your 228i will come equipped with M Adaptive suspension, a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, 18-inch light-alloy wheels, Variable Sport Steering, and the M Sport brakes. That's a healthy list of smile-inducing bits, and it's easy proof of why you should be checking the aforementioned box on the aforementioned options list.

A BMW 228i equipped with this package will sit 10mm lower than the standard coupe, and the adaptive suspension will have the car working out exactly how it should be sitting for each new corner. This is done by adjusting the damping of the suspension at each wheel, and it does so in mere milliseconds. Those tires will have you sticking to the road, and the M Sport brakes will haul in the speed quite effortlessly.

There's no word yet on what the package will cost, but it should be an easy sale for any enthusiast-minded shopper that's pulling the trigger on the new BMW 228i.