BMW has announced details of its X1, with the latest derivative of its X model line-up slated for introduction into the market later in the year.
The five-seat SAV (Sports Activity Series) - which will be built in Liepzig, Germany - will be offered in Europe with a choice of one six-cylinder petrol engine and three four-cylinder diesels.
From the front, the 4.45m-long X1 retains typical BMW X features with a "three-eye-look" and elevated fog lamps. The kidney grille is upright, the short hood is deeply sculpted and the rear lights are a reinterpretation of the typical BMW L-shape. The wheelhouses are squared and a steeply raked rear window highlights the car's sporting appeal. The "Hofmeister kick" is also evident at the base of the C-pillar.
Inside, you get an elevated seating position as well as a generous feeling of space, and to underline the functionality of the vehicle, there are a wide range of storage options, including boxes, trays and cup holders on the centre console as well as large open door compartments with integrated holders for bottles.
The rear-seat backrest is adjustable for angle and folds down in a 40/20/40 split, and luggage capacity can be increased from 420l to 1,350l with the rear seats folded down.
The X1's interior can be further enhanced by opting for a new Design package, which sees Sport seats in Oyster Nevada leather, Anthracite headlining and Fineline Wave wood trim, with the Oyster theme continuing to the lower part of the dashboard, all of the centre console and leather piping on the floor mats.
The European range will kick off with the sDrive18d, with rear-wheel drive, as well as the xDrive18d, both powered by a 143bhp 2.0l turbocharged diesel block offering 320Nm of torque.
Next are the sDrive20d and xDrive20d models, powered by the same 2.0l unit but in a higher state of tune, at 177hp and 350Nm from 1,750rpm-3,000rpm. The diesel lineup is topped by the xDrive23d, which offers 204bhp and 400Nm of torque from its twin-turbo 2.0l pot.
The sole petrol variant is the xDrive28i, and the 3.0l straight-six-equipped model turns out 255bhp and 310Nm as well as a 6.8sec 0-100kmh time for figures.
Lower down the line, the primary drivetrain choice will be a six-speed manual, and as far as the auto route goes, there's a six-speed Sport tranny in the mix.
Standard safety features include three-point inertia-reel seat belts all round, frontal and side airbags as well as head airbags at the side, adaptive Brake Lights and daytime driving lights.
