I am completely astonished.
First of all I do not accept any FWD BMW, but after all BMW has done in these recent years, I do not expect anything more/less, when even Porsche is now going a similar route.
The creator of this segment was Mercedes with the A Class. Also a blasphemy, but apparently the Mercedes crowd accepted it better than does the BMW crowd. Audi followed with the A2 but it failed, now it is again it will again be back. Lancia in some ways is yet the leader in this category with the Musa, though with FIAT quality. Citroen now came with the DS4 and DS5. So BMW with the F.A.S.T is the last to come the game. But I approve the way they do it. BMW does not follow directly, it adds a lot more, so I have to give credit to that. Example are the BMW i8 and the BMW GranCoupé.
Ok, this car is almost perfect, but that is because it is a concept. Nonetheless I am surprised by how good this car looks, and even more for a BMW FWD MPV. Overall it really looks very sporty, and knowing how good Minis drive, I doubt this one can't be as good. Theoverall shape reminds the B Class, previous generation, but even more dynamic. Interior design has 1 Series/3 Series styling and layout, but IMO in a much better execution, with exception of center armrest. I also notice there is no manual hand brake, now who know whether there'll be one on the production version, but I think it is quite possible. As for the exterior, I have to say it is the best looking BMW to date. I am not talking about the concept, F.A.S.T, but only about the design elements. Side lines overall come form the CS Concept which we can now find on cars like the X1 and 6 Series. But these lines/creases are improved for a more dynamic looking, CS was more clean and sleek. Rear is clearly a BMW, like the 3 Series and 5 Series, but this time not a simple copy/paste. Front has a very good grill solution IMO, it does have a 3D grill shape, but headlights and grill are not joined together like in the 3 Series, but they are separate like in the 6 Series. That gives it a very aggressive front. Angel eyes are an improvement over the 7 Series lights, that looks like sleepy. Here they looks alert, ready to fight. Front bumper may remind some previous AMG bumpers, but it clearly is an evolution of the Z4 M package bumper with new M6 bumper styling cues.
Compared to Citroen DS cars which look very fashion, this F.A.S.T Concept looks a lot more classy, not over done like the A Class, not boring/generic like the Golf/A3, both sporty/dynamic and luxury, and does seem to have presence. In one word: perfect design.
What now? That is the irony. I said how I like the car, but that is wrong infact. I like the design. How could BMW give to the "worst" car, read: fwd, mpv, most affordable BMW, the best design possible? Couldn't the 1 Series look like it? It would blow-off all the rivals. Couldn't the 3 Series look like it? Now I am hoping the 4 Series will get all the design cues from this 1 Series Tourer, unfortunately I doubt it will get this nice grill, 3D but not linked/joined.
Of course this is only a Concept, and Production version will be watered down, both in terms of design and of interior quality, but it is good to know there is potential and at last something really new. I am sure this car will be a hit in EU especially among women. With this 1 Series Tourer, BMW will mostly get new clients that probably never owned a BMW before, thus even higher sales.
Hardly believable that BMW managed to make the worst looking car (MPV) that good looking, almost better than the whole range, and even more, retaining the BMW Identity.
