It’s always fun to see an auto manufacturer take one of its most pedestrian, un-athletic cars to a race track for testing. For example, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is just as far away from being a Nurburgring champion as a Toyota Rav4 but that hasn’t stopped BMW from bringing its upcoming people-mover to the ‘Ring anyway. In these latest spy photos, we get to see the next-gen 2 Series AT lapping the Green Hell in some black-and-white camouflage.

When it finally debuts, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is not going to be some fun-to-drive, lifted hot-hatch. It’s not going to be a family crossover that doubles as a sports car. So it’s funny to see it at the Nurburgring, seemingly getting pushed to its limits. Though, it’s also encouraging. If it can lap the Nurburgring at even 7/10ths and not fall down, then it will be a competent and enjoyable car to drive on the road at normal speeds.

Plus, the 2 Series Active Tourer is going to have several quality attributes of its own. For instance, it’s going to be a handsome car, from what we can see in its spy photos. Its headlights are sleek and sharp, its grille isn’t the size of the 4 Series’ (addition by subtraction, there) and its overall shape is more big-hatchback than small-minivan. Hell, it even has a decent Hofmeister Kink, from what we can tell.

It’s also going to be spacious, practical and comfortable, just as its predecessor was. It’s going to be able to comfortably shuttle the kids to school, handle grocery runs and commutes to work, all while having the same premium build quality and technology that BMW customers are used to. So it might not be the most traditional of BMWs but at least it’s honest about what it is and is likely to do its job well. Plus, it’s funny to see it at the Nurburgring. So check these photos out.

[Photos: @wilcoblok]