Motor Authority - blog Category: X1

Way back at the beginning of July, BMW revealed full details and images of the BMW X1. People immediately began to ask, "Why?" It's not without good reason the question is raised; it's uncomfortably close in size to the X3, and though Europeans will get a range of small and efficient diesel engines, it's not clear how Americans--BMW's biggest market--will benefit from the just-barely-smallest SUV in the brand's lineup.

Live photos from the Frankfurt auto show taken today reveal the car as it looks from eye-level, rather than in the often distorting light of the studio, and it has to be said it looks smaller than the X3 in person.

Marketing...

Way back at the beginning of July, BMW revealed full details and images of the BMW X1. People immediately began to ask, "Why?" It's not without good reason the question is raised; it's uncomfortably close in size to the X3, and though Europeans will get a range of small and efficient diesel engines, it's not clear how Americans--BMW's biggest market--will benefit from the just-barely-smallest SUV in the brand's lineup. Live photos from the Frankfurt auto show taken today reveal the car as it looks from eye-level, rather than in the often distorting light of the studio, and it has to be said it looks smaller than the X3 in person. Marketing for the X1 is also playing up the vehicle's split city-sporty personality, casting it as a more youthful alternative to the other SUVs and crossovers in the BMW range. And that may be the key to BMW's desire to sell a slightly smaller, slightly decontented X1 alongside the X3: pricing, and market position. Whatever the reasoning behind the X1, however, it's an attractive vehicle inside and out. Check out the gallery below, or read up on our coverage of the official release of the 2011 BMW X1. Read More

The next couple of years will be very busy for BMW as it launches a handful of new models including new versions of current top sellers and some models we’ve never seen before. The new X1 falls into the latter category and will take the carmaker into the compact SUV market currently dominated by the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Just a couple weeks ago BMW revealed a set of official teasers, but today we can bring you spy shots of the new X1 almost undisguised.

The latest round of spy photos reveal the vehicle in the least amount of camouflage yet, going beyond outlines and curves to show off the detail of the bodywork and... The next couple of years will be very busy for BMW as it launches a handful of new models including new versions of current top sellers and some models we’ve never seen before. The new X1 falls into the latter category and will take the carmaker into the compact SUV market currently dominated by the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Just a couple weeks ago BMW revealed a set of official teasers, but today we can bring you spy shots of the new X1 almost undisguised. The latest round of spy photos reveal the vehicle in the least amount of camouflage yet, going beyond outlines and curves to show off the detail of the bodywork and front-end treatment, with only a few lines of masking tape down the sides and around the rear tail light area. The checkered cladding on the promo shots released by BMW earlier this month obscured the details, but left the grille completely uncovered, as well as the sporty new front and rear bumpers. Family traits can also be found in the front and rear lights, which resemble the recently revealed 5-series GT and the 7-series sedan, respectively. Comparing the latest spy shots to the official video clip (below), as well as the previous renderings and spy shots, shows that BMW designers have stuck closely to the lines of the Concept X1 showcased at last year’s Paris Motor Show. The new X1’s running gear is based on the 1-series compact car but its ride height will be taller. The car is actually expected to use a mixture of 1-series and 3-series parts, sort of bridging the size gap between the two - not that the gap was large to begin with. BMW’s X-drive AWD system will also feature. The range will kick off with two base models: the xDrive18i and the xDrive18d, and these will be followed by an xDrive20d with 177hp (130kW), a 0 - 60mph sprint time of 8.4 seconds and fuel economy of 40mpg (5.8L/100km), as well as an xDrive23d with 204hp (150kW) and a 0 - 60mph sprint time of 7.3 seconds. Topping out the range will be an xDrive28i model. Production volume is expected to top the 100,000 mark and will start at a BMW plant in Leipzig by the middle of the year. The X1 will be priced higher than the 1-series, likely starting close to the $30,000 mark. Much of the car’s components will also be shared with an upcoming SUV model from Mini to save on development costs, although the BMW model is expected to be significantly larger than the Mini. Expect to see the X1 unveiled for the first time at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show with sales to follow shortly after.2010 BMW X1 Preview2010 BMW X1 SUV official teasers2010 BMW X1 spy shots June 20092010 BMW X1 spy video Read More

Despite its entry-level positioning, BMW’s upcoming X1 SUV will be manufactured at a plant in Germany because most of its sales are expected to be in Europe. Production plans for larger vehicles like the new X6 and the next-gen X3, meanwhile, have been moved to BMW’s Spartanburg facility in the U.S. because a majority of sales for these vehicles will be in the States.

Earlier reports suggested that the car could be outsourced to a manufacturer outside of Germany but CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed its German production. The same can’t be said for Mini’s upcoming SUV model, which won’t be built at the Oxford... Despite its entry-level positioning, BMW’s upcoming X1 SUV will be manufactured at a plant in Germany because most of its sales are expected to be in Europe. Production plans for larger vehicles like the new X6 and the next-gen X3, meanwhile, have been moved to BMW’s Spartanburg facility in the U.S. because a majority of sales for these vehicles will be in the States. Earlier reports suggested that the car could be outsourced to a manufacturer outside of Germany but CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed its German production. The same can’t be said for Mini’s upcoming SUV model, which won’t be built at the Oxford plant in England. Instead, it will be outsourced to a third party manufacturer, reports Automotive News. Reithofer didn’t reveal who this manufacturer will be but its past history with Magna Steyr makes the Austrian company a likely candidate, especially since the current contract to build X3s expires at the end of the current model cycle. Read More

This could be the face of a new mini soft-roader from BMW that is positioned below the X3 SUV and is aimed directly at Toyota’s Rav 4 and Honda’s CR-V. Though the BMW will be smaller than its rivals, it will be priced similarly and should make for some tough competition in the recreational vehicle market.

The new car will feature economical diesel engines and may even showcase a new hybrid powerplant with drive going to all our wheels. A small two-door version with a low slung, coupe styled roofline could also make an appearance, however, there’s still no official word from BMW on either model. Stay tuned for more... This could be the face of a new mini soft-roader from BMW that is positioned below the X3 SUV and is aimed directly at Toyota’s Rav 4 and Honda’s CR-V. Though the BMW will be smaller than its rivals, it will be priced similarly and should make for some tough competition in the recreational vehicle market. The new car will feature economical diesel engines and may even showcase a new hybrid powerplant with drive going to all our wheels. A small two-door version with a low slung, coupe styled roofline could also make an appearance, however, there’s still no official word from BMW on either model. Stay tuned for more information. Read More