BMW’S NEW X-FACTOR

BY JON THOMSON

BMW HAS COMPLETELY RE-IMAGINED IT’S BABY SUV MODEL, THE X1, AND GIVEN IT THE SORT OF PIZAZZ AND TECHNICAL FEATURES TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE TOP OF A LOT OF NEW CAR SHOPPING LISTS. BEACHES COVERED. AUTOMOTIVE ENTHUSIAST, JON THOMSON, EXPLORES HOW THIS LATEST ITERATION OF BMW’S X-FACTOR SUV STACKS UP.

The German luxury car maker has made its new X1 smarter, more innovative and above all, better looking; not that the old model was lacking in the looks department. With the sort of technical and performance credentials the X1 brings to the table along with some very attractive pricing, the new X1 is going to be hard to resist.

Of course now the X1 is available with a fully electric driveline in a variant called the iX1, which now takes the mantle of being the flagship of the X1 line up.

The iX1 sits alongside petrol versions, including the X1 sDrive18i and X1 xDrive20i, all of which offer fabulous performance, features and ergonomics that one has come to expect from BMW.

The X1 draws heavily on design cues from previous models, with the legendary

‘kidney’ shaped BMW grille and distinctive hip design treatment around the waist and flush door handles, leaving no doubt it’s part of the latest generation of BMWs.

While the exterior styling detail is fantastic, under the skin in the various drivelines is where the revolution really begins.

The electric iX1 xDrive30 is equipped with dual electric motors developing 200kW and 494Nm in standard mode or an extra 30kW when you switch to ‘boost’ mode. That is truly serious power for a compact SUV and underlines the serious performance that an electric driveline can deliver.

The iX1 is available with the choice of two AC chargers, with either an 11kW unit that recharges to full in 6.5 hours, or a 22kW model that does

it in 3.75 hours, while the 64.7kWh battery delivers up to 438km range, with regenerative braking putting charge back every time you brake.

The two petrol versions of the X1 include the front-wheel-drive sDrive18i or the all-wheel-drive xDrive20i, and when it comes to efficiency, these are very impressive.

The sDrive18i uses a three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbocharged engine with 115kW of power and 230Nm of torque, matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The xDrive20i model has BMW’s 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, delivering 150kW and 300Nm, fed to the road through all four wheels via the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and can sprint to 100km/h in just 5.7-seconds.

“While the exterior styling detail is fantastic, under the skin in the various drivelines is where the revolution really begins.”

‘Ultimate Driving Machines’ is BMW’s legendary catchcry, and its suspension refinement is always impressive. In the case of the new X1, it’s no exception.

There is revised suspension geometry, along with adaptive suspension, variable electric steering, and a new and very intelligent stability control system, claimed to be ten times faster than previous systems.

That means that even before you perceive an imminent emergency, the ever vigilant electronic monitoring systems will have identified the issue, and thanks to the speed of the processor, can react and avoid or reduce the impact of a collision. It’s very high-tech and very comforting for any driver.

Climb inside the cockpit and you will find some amazing innovation, with an integrated curved cockpit that houses two stylish information screens, a 10.25 inch instrument display and a 10.7 inch touchscreen, paired seamlessly together as one unit.

In terms of modern automotive interior design, it’s a beautiful piece of innovation and engineering. The system incorporates the latest satellite navigation with augmented reality, 5G connectivity, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with voice activated assistance. Just utter “Hey BMW” and your wish is the voice assistant’s command.

The traditional centre console gear selector has been totally re-imagined, with a revolutionary new look and design that features a space-efficient floating console using a switch type ‘shift-by-wire’ selector, all of which is very efficient and very smart.

Depending on the model you choose, the cabin can be filled with the most brilliant audio thanks to a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, while a panoramic sunroof enables you to let the sunshine in.

BMW’s new X1 range is a revolutionary step forward in small SUVs any way you cut it. •

Col CrawfordBMW // 497 Pittwater Road, Brookvale NSW 2100 // (02) 9941 1290 // colcrawfordbmw.com.au