The UKL platform (''Untere Klasse'', "lower class" in German) is a modular

automobile platform A car platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components, over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of cars, often from different, but somewhat related, marques. It is pract ...

developed by German car manufacturer BMW. It is a

modular Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a sy ...

architecture to suit a range of

front-wheel-drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional lon ...

and

all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...

models. The objective of the front-wheel-drive UKL platform is to offer smaller models with a large interior space, with enough room for passengers in the rear seats and large cargo space. These objectives are only possible to achieve by mounting

transverse Transverse may refer to: *Transverse engine, an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the wheels of the vehicle *Transverse flute, a flute that is held horizontally * Transverse force (or ''Euler force''), the tangen ...

three or four-cylinder engines. At the time of release, BMW announced that any model under in length and smaller than a 3 Series will make use of the UKL platform. According to Ian Robertson, BMW sales and marketing chief, "One of the big advantages of UKL is that we are able to launch a lot of products almost simultaneously because we are doing the engineering at once." The platform has two derivatives: the UKL1 and UKL2. The first production vehicle to use the UKL platform is the 2014

Mini Hatch The Mini Hatch, stylised as MINI Hatch (or MINI Hardtop in the U.S.), also sold as Mini Cooper, Mini One, or simply called the (BMW) Mini, are a family of retro-styled two-door supermini hatchback and convertible; and (from 2014) a longer, su ...

. Another UKL platform derivative is the FAAR platform which was announced in 2017. It is designed with pure

ICE Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

and

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

powertrains in mind.

UKL1 platform

Vehicles using platform (calendar years): *

(F56) (2014–present) * Mini Hatch 5-door (F55) (2014–present) * Mini Convertible (F57) (2016–present)

UKL2 platform

The UKL2 platform is the larger version of the UKL platform. It debuted with the

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (F45/U06 model code) is a two-row subcompact executive MPV produced by BMW since August 2014. The closely related BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (F46 model code) is a longer three-row version which began production in ...

in 2014. The platform supports wheelbase length of , and extendable to for long-wheelbase models. Vehicles using platform (calendar years): * BMW 1 Series Sedan (F52) (2017–present) *

BMW 1 Series (F40) The BMW 1 Series (F40) is the third generation of the BMW 1 Series range of subcompact executive hatchback cars. Unlike the previous generation F20 1 Series, the F40 1 Series uses a front-wheel drive configuration and is only available as a 5-do ...

(2019–present) *

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé (model code F44) is a subcompact executive fastback sedan produced by BMW. It was revealed on 16 October 2019, and officially premiered at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. It was launched in worldwide ma ...

(F44) (2019–present) * BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (F45) (2014–2021) * BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (F46) (2015–2021) * BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (U06) (2021–present) *

BMW X1 (F48) The F48 BMW X1 is the second generation of the BMW X1 range of subcompact luxury crossover SUV. The F48 X1 was unveiled at the September 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and later at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. Contrary to the previous generation which ...

(2015–2022) *

BMW X1 (U11) The BMW X1 is a line of subcompact luxury crossovers produced by BMW. Debuted in 2009, the first-generation X1 has been based on the E90 3 Series and offers rear-wheel drive layout as standard. At its introduction, it was positioned as the sm ...

(2022-present) *

BMW X2 (F39) F39 may refer to: * Avia F.39, a bomber aircraft of the Czechoslovakian Air Force * BMW X2 (F39), an automobile * , a ''Brahmaputra''-class guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy * , a ''Leander''-class frigate of the Royal Navy * F-39, Brazil ...

(2017–present) * Mini Countryman (F60) (2017–present) * Mini Clubman (F54) (2016–present) *

Zinoro 60H The Zinoro 60H is a plug-in hybrid compact crossover SUV produced by BMW Brilliance under the Chinese automobile brand Zinoro. It launched in the Chinese market in March 2017. Overview At the Auto Shanghai in April 2015, Zinoro presented for the ...

(F48) (2017–present)

References

{{BMW vehicles Car platforms

UKL1 platform

UKL2 platform

See also

References