Customers in China have a penchant for long wheelbase models, prompting carmakers to specifically develop vehicles for the market. Following the introduction of the Audi A4 L and Mercedes-Benz E-Class L at the ongoing Beijing Auto Show, BMW is joining the masses with its new X1 Long Wheelbase.
No crafty names like the BMW X1L or BMW X1XL here. The elongated Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), which will be built at built at BMW Brilliance’s Tiexi plant in Shenyan, looks virtually the same as a regular X1, but with longer rear doors, as seen in our earlier spyshots of the vehicle.
As a result, the BMW X1 LWB measures 4,560 mm long, 1,820 mm wide and 1,620 mm tall. Compared to the standard wheelbase X1, the new model is around 80 mm longer, 20 mm wider and 40 mm taller.
According to BMW, this allows for improved seating comfort, where second row passengers now have five to 18 cm more knee room. Also, depending on the position of the rear bench, the X1 Long Wheelbase has a cargo capacity of 465 to 675 litres, which increases to 1,650 litres once the 40:20:40 split folding rear bench is folded.
Two trim kits are offered here – xLine and Sports Line – that introduce a range of exterior and interior options. On the “cross-country” xLine, you’ll find aluminium satin roof rails and side window surrounds, 18-inch bi-colour light-alloy wheels in a Y-spoke design and matte Satin Silver underbody protection.
Inside, perforated leather upholstery is applied on the seats with decorative stitching at the sides. The xLine package also includes contour lighting in the doors and a Pearl Gloss Chrome accent strip for the instrument panel. Oak trim pieces in a matte finish are part of the package.
The Sports Line meanwhile, introduces a specially-designed double-kidney grille that come in high-gloss black, including the side window surrounds and the exterior mirror caps. The underbody protection (front and rear) and side skirts of the Sports Line model are painted following the body colour. The wheels here are 18-inch bi-colour light-alloy wheels in a double-spoke design.
Inside, the Sports Line sees the addition of black leather with red stitching and interior trim strips in high-gloss black with Coral Red to project its sporty approach. The sports seats also get upholstered in perforated leather with decorative stitching as well.
A wide variety of equipment is available here as well, including a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with rear vents, a 6.5-inch or 8.8-inch freestanding high-resolution colour display, the iDrive operating system (with Touch Controller), a multifunction sports steering wheel, electrically adjustable front seats and interior lighting package.
Other options available are Dynamic Damper Control, LED headlights, the Driving Assistant package, Harman Kardon surround sound system, automatic tailgate operation, rear-view camera, front seat heating, an automatic parking assist system, cruise control, interconnected driving and real-time traffic information.
Four powertrains are offered for the Chinese market, all featuring BMW’s TwinPower Turbo petrol engines. The first is the BMW X1 sDrive18Li that gets a three-cylinder unit (136 hp), followed by the sDrive20Li and xDrive20Li, both of which get a four-cylinder powerplant (192 hp). The top-of-the-range xDrive25Li also gets a four-pot, but tuned to produce 231 hp instead.
The sDrive18Li gets a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, while the remaining variants are fitted with an eight-speed Steptronic auto instead. Variants with “sDrive” are front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is reserved for “xDrive” X1 LWBs.
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The Chinese market likes em germans long eh
Sausages or d….?
Never thought I’d live to see a BMW FWD small SUV