BMW has pulled the covers off a new Concept X2 at the Paris Motor Show.

The compact concept ‘exudes urban sporting appeal’ says BMW and features large wheels, a long wheelbase, stretched roofline, short overhangs and heavily forward-slanting C-pillar - all giving the body a sporty, 'low-to-the-road' look. The contrasting darker cladding surfaces and Luminous Red body colour also are part of the sporty design.

The elongated roofline and slim window graphic create a stretched feel as the glasshouse tapers towards the rear. The large, air-channelling roof spoiler in body colour lies flat over the blackened rear window, while ‘muscular surfaces’, large wheel arches housing 21-inch-alloy wheels and underfloor protection around the door sills contrast with the dynamic elements.

The front-end features a heavily raked windscreen and teams up with a newly interpreted double kidney grille and large air intakes to give the front end a low-slung look. The kidneys are sited a little lower than the headlights, and the central air intake is closer to the road than the two outer intakes.

The laser light technology used in the headlights enables a slim light graphic, while the blue X in the centre of the hexagonal tubes adds a further technical accent says BMW. The Concept X2's rear window emerges from below the air-channelling spoiler underlining the car’s sporting character further. A fresh interpretation of the lights’ familiar “L” shape frames the LED element as an illuminating three-dimensional sculpture that projects from the rear. The body-colour rear apron provides a ‘dynamic flourish’ with large tailpipes at either outer edge.