New BMW X1 compact SUV officially unveiled!

BMW X1

The new BMW X1 must be a very important car for BMW as for the first time ever with BMW press packs, I was having trouble handling the amount of photos they released! They released over 150 photos of a brown and a white X1 and the total file size for the hi-res pix was over 1,5GB, which I had to download then resize down to about 150MB before uploading.

The X1 measures 4454mm in length, 1798mm wide (2006mm with mirrors included), and 1545mm tall with a 2760mm wheelbase. In comparison, the X3 measures 4570mm long, with a 2795mm wheelbase. So it’s definitely a smaller vehicle, but the wheelbase is quite similiar to the current E90 sedan.

BMW X1

It’s also the first BMW SUV to come with a rear wheel drive version as well as xDrive. The most economical version is the X1 sDrive18d with rear wheel drive, putting out only 136g/km of CO2 and using only a measly 5.2 litres per 100km, equivalent to 54.3 UK mpg. The following are the various X1 variants:

Model Power (hp) Torque L/100km
xDrive28i 258 @ 6,600 310Nm @ 2,600-3,000 9.4L
xDrive23d 204 @ 4,400 400Nm @ 2,000-2,250 6.3L
xDrive20d 177 @ 4,000 350Nm @ 1,750-3,000 5.8L
sDrive20d 177 @ 4,000 350Nm @ 1,750-3,000 5.3L
xDrive18d 143 @ 4,000 320Nm @ 1,750-3,000 5.7L
sDrive18d 143 @ 4,000 320Nm @ 1,750-3,000 5.2L

BMW X1

As you can see the European range is mostly diesel-centric, with the sole petrol engine being the 3.0 litre inline-6, tuned to make 258 horses, hence the “28i” rating instead of “30i” which usually puts out about 272 horses in their latest incarnations. The rest are diesel, and ditching the weight and losses of xDrive reduces fuel consumption by about 0.1L per 100km with the 20d and 18d models. All manual models come with auto start-stop and a gearshift indicator.

BMW X1

The interior features a 40:20:40 split backrest at the rear which can extend the 420 litre cargo area up to 490 litres if you set the backrest angle to something more vertical, or if you just drop them down, storage goes up to 1,350 litres. The rest of the interior is a typical BMW and you don’t get some of the more modern interior bits such as the shift by wire gear knob and the Black Panel multi-info LCD, but you do get the new hard disk based iDrive system.

Look after the jump for a full press release, some videos, and a full photo gallery of the new BMW X1.

VIDEO: BMW X1 Product Footage

[zenphotopress number=999 album=361]

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Kriss Bangla on Jul 03, 2009 at 9:20 pm

    wow

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  • mitsuloton on Jul 04, 2009 at 5:25 am

    Wow, petty women!!!

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  • Babelon on Jul 04, 2009 at 5:42 am

    when will come into M'sia?

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  • zaff1984 on Jul 04, 2009 at 5:50 am

    nice like both white and brown.

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  • izzit full time 4wd?

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  • Cyrus on Jul 04, 2009 at 6:34 am

    Almost the same size as the X3

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  • nice rims…

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  • KitKat on Jul 04, 2009 at 7:14 am

    I prefer the chick over the car… But hey, if I got the car I can get more chicks easily, wise investment indeed…

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  • nabil on Jul 04, 2009 at 7:33 am

    how about prices? will it be close to x3 prices ?

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  • Thomas on Jul 04, 2009 at 7:34 am

    Sweet Car. I think it will arrive next year. Probably next year….

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  • mystvearn on Jul 04, 2009 at 7:43 am

    How much will it cost?

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  • initial R on Jul 04, 2009 at 7:56 am

    when can i have that chicks…. errkk i mean the X1. How much the tag price OTR. Hope bit cheaper than X3.

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  • linebackerU on Jul 04, 2009 at 8:38 am

    bahaha click on that one pic!

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  • New Car Guy on Jul 04, 2009 at 9:47 am

    Looks pretty sweet!

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  • kodomo on Jul 04, 2009 at 9:50 am

    the Rear design is jus 'perfect' …. but i dun understand why ter need to have few sizes for this SUV thingy, or crossover watever, X1, X3, X5, X6 etc…. pretty sure those who can afford X3 can also afford X1 vice versa….

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  • kodomo said,

    the Rear design is jus ‘perfect’ …. but i dun understand why ter need to have few sizes for this SUV thingy, or crossover watever, X1, X3, X5, X6 etc…. pretty sure those who can afford X3 can also afford X1 vice versa….

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    You got a point there. Maybe They want to give people different kind driving pleasure and experiences, that's why they introduced these models.

    Anyway, I like the tyre rims…..XD

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  • jason on Jul 04, 2009 at 4:50 pm

    But between X1 and X3, for me they look almost similar in term of the measurements of vehicle.

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  • shahzane on Jul 04, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    is it in the same class as the audi Q5?i like this better than the x3. this will be my motivation to work harder and have the money to own these babies.hahaha

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  • bmpower on Jul 04, 2009 at 6:29 pm

    it's small… not as big as you think.

    not as big as x5 .

    for easiest comparison, see the pic that the man put the surfboard one.

    for hardest comparison, check the stats document then compare it..

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  • The side profile is nice and the back is OK. I don't quite like the front.The grille is too "flat".would be nicer if it is sloping or rounded.

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  • droll on Jul 04, 2009 at 7:37 pm

    the front just looks too heavy. i still can't understand the positioning of the X1 in the bmw stables.

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  • KIMI_ on Jul 04, 2009 at 9:47 pm

    NICE LIGHTS AND FRONT. THOUGH I LUV IT ,BUT I THINK YOU R NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE IT.AREN"T YOU?

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  • Black Dog on Jul 05, 2009 at 12:56 am

    That's my kind of vehicle.

    But when is the 'new' diesel cumming?

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  • kia rondo? …

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  • painsama on Jul 05, 2009 at 4:09 am

    The chick is blurred. To bad.

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  • Paul Tan on Jul 05, 2009 at 4:55 am

    For some reason, the chick kinda looks like Tom Cruise to me.

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  • karmacookie on Jul 05, 2009 at 6:22 am

    Paul,

    Is this the first time BM is positioning a woman in a bikini in their communication to customers?

    Always thought the luxury brands avoided such associations.

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  • TreeHouse on Jul 05, 2009 at 7:50 am

    SO BeautiFUl..SO…Sexy…So…Perfectly Shape..I JUST LOVE IT…

    THE HOT CHICK OF COURSE!!!!

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  • blo0d on Jul 05, 2009 at 11:57 am

    the kidney grille is getting bigger… OHNO~!! ITS ALIVEEE!!! ahahahaha

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  • PETRONAS BMW PROTON on Jul 05, 2009 at 2:27 pm

    lets bring this BMW to Malaysia and do technology transfer.. defeat Indon VW!!!

    no more play2 on the Malaysia cars quality and customers service!

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  • the secrect of good fuel efficiency

    flatter torque, or good low end torque, as good as 2500rpm at least,

    so strong car capable to push car at overdrive during low engine speed,

    ( of course it has to agree with calibration of the rationing the gear and to the designated engine capabily with the weight of the car)

    and for town drive, shift point of transmission is without delay or so called short shifting, thus reduce engine over-reving, and down shifting is capable holding in gear push before any necessary kick down.

    and this character could prolong the engine life span batter because engine works at low engine speed through out its life

    WE have to think of this seriously. what to be done…

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  • dk999 on Jul 06, 2009 at 7:25 am

    Decepticon rims here i come…

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  • FlamingFox on Jul 06, 2009 at 7:52 am

    With looks like that, I think this will kill the X3

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  • bobdbilder on Jul 06, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Just what the world needs right now; another SUV. There is something ironic about an SUV with paddle shifters. You know, like as if the drivers don't have enough time to reach for the levers. Will take sometime for the electronics it to think (hmm.. enough traction on left rear wheel tyre?). More for final decision (which solenoid is that again?)

    Did you notice that all the diesel variants have the same bore and stroke? It's the German tax scheme again ainit? Buy a 1.8 and get the 2.3 inlet manifold.

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  • the low height of this X1 will make it seem much smaller than it is.

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  • fantastic set of rims… :)~~~~~~

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  • wow so economical!are those hippies,greenpeace and treehuggers still throw stones at every suv the see nowadays?

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  • TopGear on Mar 28, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    saw 2 units of BMW X1 parked at BMW Cyberjaya yesterday

    nice SUV ! hope can afford it !

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  • elvin martins on Apr 15, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    great car..it will rock the indian market..you will get to see alot in indian road…just cannot wit for it…

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