What's the news?
BMW has released full details on an all-new X1, only the second generation of the compact crossover. Along with styling with more presence comes a more efficient four-wheel drive system and a new range of powertrains. And it's all based on a front-drive chassis for the first time.
Exterior
If someone told you that these are images of a new BMW X3, you wouldn't blink an eye, would you? The new model looks much more substantial on the outside than the original X1, with design cues borrowed mainly from the BMW X5, plus a considerable 53mm increase in overall height. The company's latest LED light style is found front and rear, while the face of the new X1 features large upright kidney grilles and a 'frowning X' motif to align it with the other BMW X SUVs. LED daytime running lights are standard across the line-up, while full-LED headlamps are part of the xLine and M Sport packages. It appears that the minimum wheel size is 18-inch, while M Sport cars get 19-inch alloys.
Interior
That extra height means more interior space than before for the BMW X1, which its maker has used to raise the seating up, but it's the dashboard design and material options that'll catch the eye of those upgrading from the previous model. It broadly follows the style of all recent new BMW models, so there's a colour screen free-standing in the middle of the dashboard (6.5- or 8.8-inch depending on options chosen) and tactile switchgear throughout. The spacious rear seat splits and folds in three individual sections (40:20:40) and can be optionally equipped with sliding runners to increase legroom or boot space as required. Legroom on all versions is up on the first generation X1 and the boot is also 85 litres larger, at 505 litres - expandable to 1,550 litres.
Mechanicals
First the big news: this BMW X1 is based on a new front-drive chassis and the engines are mounted transversely (they were longitudinally located previously). That helps with the interior space, no doubt, but also means that models badged 'sDrive' send their power to the front wheels. At launch, the only model to do that is the sDrive18d, which comes as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox. Powered by a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, this X1 has 150hp and 330Nm of torque at its disposal, which is enough to accelerate it from 0-100km/h in 9.2 seconds. Combined economy is quoted as 65.7mpg (4.3 litres/100km) and emissions are 114g/km.
The '20d' is offered solely in xDrive four-wheel drive guise initially, using its 190hp and 400Nm of torque to hit 100km/h from rest in just 7.6 seconds. It emits 128g/km and returns 57.6mpg (4.9 litres/100km) on the combined cycle. At first, the only transmission option is an eight-speed automatic, but a manual gearbox comes on stream later in 2015. Featuring a twin-turbocharged version of the same four-cylinder diesel engine is the xDrive25d. Its pertinent figures are 231hp, 450Nm, 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds, 56.5mpg (5.0 litres/100km) and 132g/km.
At launch, there will be a single petrol model - the xDrive20i - powered by BMW's 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged unit producing 192hp and 280Nm of torque. It dispatches the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.4 seconds, returns 44.8mpg (6.3 litres/100km) and emits 146g/km.
New to the BMW X1 are several choice driving options, including Variable Sports Steering and Dynamic Damper Control.
Anything else?
Irish pricing for the launch models has been confirmed ahead of the on-sale date of 24 October:
X1 xDrive20i Sport (auto standard): €48,880
X1 xDrive20i xLine (auto standard): €51,260
X1 xDrive20i M Sport (auto standard): €51,260
X1 sDrive18d SE: €41,310
X1 sDrive18d Sport: €43,510
X1 sDrive18d xLine: €45,710
X1 sDrive18d M Sport: €45,710
X1 xDrive20d Sport: €47,950
X1 xDrive20d xLine: €50,200
X1 xDrive20d M Sport: €50,200
X1 xDrive25d xLine (auto standard): €54,150
X1 xDrive25d M Sport (auto standard): €54,150
We'll review the new BMW X1 at the start of July so keep an eye out for that on the Car Reviews page.