Which Cars Do You Think BMW Is Going To Axe?

BMW has finally confirmed what we already suspected: the 2 Series Active Tourer is going away. It won’t happen today or tomorrow, but Munich won’t have a third generation of its compact minivan. More importantly, the Active Tourer won’t be the only model heading for the automotive graveyard. Days ago, the company confirmed it’s cutting models as part of a broader effort to slash costs and improve profitability.

BMW hasn’t provided a complete list of the casualties, though, leaving us to play detective. Regardless of which models get the axe, BMW won’t discontinue them overnight. Instead, BMW will phase them out once the current-generation models run their course. We’ve already said goodbye to the X4, Z4, and 8 Series, and several other models look increasingly vulnerable.

So, which BMWs do we think are next?

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

Let’s start with the only one BMW has actually confirmed. The 2 Series Active Tourer will not get a third generation, ending an unusual chapter in BMW history. The original model arrived in 2014 as the firm’s first front-wheel-drive vehicle, breaking one of the brand’s longest-standing traditions in the process.

The current generation followed in 2021, but apparently wasn’t profitable enough to justify another go-around. According to insiders, the Bavarian people-mover will be retired in 2029, but nothing’s official yet.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe

This one hasn’t been confirmed, but the 4 Series Gran Coupe looks like another strong candidate for the chopping block. The current model is built in Munich alongside the i4, and that’s where things get interesting. BMW has spent around €650 million transforming its Munich plant into an EV-only facility. From 2027 onward, the factory will produce exclusively fully electric vehicles. The i3/M3 are among the models it will build there, while the combustion-engined 3 Series is moving to Dingolfing.

That creates a pretty obvious question: What happens to the gas-fueled 4 Series Gran Coupe? BMW could theoretically move production to Dingolfing, where it builds the Coupe and Convertible, but that’s a lot of effort for a model that already occupies a slightly awkward spot in the lineup. The 4 Series Coupe and Convertible are expected to soldier on until 2029, but the Gran Coupe may not be so lucky.

BMW i4

As with the combustion-engined 4 Series Gran Coupe, its electric counterpart is made at the company’s oldest plant. BMW has already confirmed that the Munich plant will become an EV-only facility, and at first glance, that sounds like good news for the i4. In reality, the Neue Klasse i3 has arrived as the electric 3 Series, and company officials have already said it serves as the de facto replacement. The G26, in both ICE and EV flavors, is expected to bow out early next year.

We aren’t saying BMW has confirmed the i4’s death. It hasn’t. But if the company is looking for models to cut, this one makes a lot of sense.

BMW iX

The iX is another one that looks increasingly difficult to justify. BMW’s original electric flagship SUV launched in 2021, but the company now has a much newer generation of EV technology. The iX5 has already arrived as the fully electric version of the new X5. An electric X7 is also expected to follow in 2027 as the iX7. That leaves the iX between two electric versions of BMW’s established SUV nameplates, both with the Neue Klasse look and tech.

While the iX may already have one foot in the grave, it’ll remain in production throughout 2027. That means customers in some regions might still find one in stock in the first half of 2028. BMW has ended allocations for the United States. Once the iX7 arrives with improvements in a less polarizing package, the case for the iX becomes harder to make.

BMW XM

The XM is the wild card. Unlike the other models on this list, its problem isn’t that BMW already has an obvious replacement waiting in the wings. Its problem is that the business case for another one looks questionable. That doesn’t automatically mean the XM is dead. In fact, we’ve heard that BMW hasn’t completely ruled out a second generation and is exploring ways to address some of the original car’s biggest weaknesses, including its design, packaging, and comfort.

Still, BMW is under pressure to cut low-return models, and the XM isn’t making a compelling argument with its sales numbers. If Munich decides that the future X5 M or X7 M60 is enough of a flagship performance SUV, the XM could end up being a one-generation experiment.

Who’s Already Gone And What’s Coming Soon?

Some of the BMWs on this list don’t need any speculation because they’re already dead. The X4 went out of production in late 2025, while the Z4 and 8 Series bowed out earlier this year.

One important point: BMW may be trimming the lineup, but it’s not simply shrinking. The company is also preparing a wave of new models, including the iX4, which is due to be unveiled very soon. BMW has already announced an i3 Touring, which could see the light of day in 2027.

Earlier this week, BMW confirmed a new entry-level EV for Europe in 2028, widely expected to be the rear-wheel-drive i1 hatchback as the new entry point into its sprawling EV lineup. At the other end of the portfolio, it is evaluating a larger luxury SUV positioned above the X7 for the U.S. market.

BMW i4 Coupe And Convertible Coming

What else? An i4 Convertible prototype has already been spotted testing, which strongly suggests BMW is also preparing a two-door i4 Coupe to spread development costs across another model and achieve better economies of scale.

With an i1 on the way, BMW could also do a sedan version as the electric 2 Series Gran Coupe for a higher return on investment. Unlike the hatch, the sedan would have a better chance of coming to the United States. Expect to see the four-door version around the decade’s end.

The iX7 we mentioned earlier should arrive alongside the second-generation X7 next year.

Long story short, BMW is pruning some of the less profitable branches while planting plenty of new ones. As for the on-again-off-again supercar, I’d argue it’s the best and worst time for a spiritual successor to the legendary mid-engined M1. Earlier this year, M CEO Frank said he’d love to work on a modern-day E26.