Boom Boom Bimmer

Introduction:

December 2010 was a great month for BMW as it unveiled a product that was its cheapest yet, the X1. But, the trust in BMW ensured buyers did not look down upon it; instead they jumped at it. The result was massive bookings and a long wait of several months to drive one out of the showrooms. Sceptics however, say it’s common for any new car to witness such response; first few months are after all called the honeymoon period for a new car for a reason. The question then is, is the X1 as good as one expects a BMW to be? Is it fun to drive? And do its booming sales, actually make it worth owning? To find out, we drove the baby BMW, the X1.

Highlights:

- The X1 is the cheapest BMW money can buy today in India. Apples to apples it is cheaper than the 3-series range.

- The BMW X1 available in India is rear-wheel drive and does not come with an all-wheel drive option.

- There are ten colour options available on the X1 – Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Cashmere Silver, Deep Sea Blue, Vermillion Red, Space Grey, Titanium Silver, Sparkling Bronze, Graphite Blue and Marrakesh Brown.

The X1 follows the design language of modern BMWs as it gets the signature kidney front grille and corona rings as part of the headlamps (the latter though is available only with the Highline trim). The large hood, the squared off wheel arches and the crisp swage line that rises gently to the rear makes the X1 look sturdy. The high beltline and the shallow glasshouse give it an aggressive stance and the translucent finish on top of the headlamps make it look mean with furrowed-eyebrows. The X1 has a more contemporary design than the other X models as well; plainly in a bid to attract a younger audience.

Step inside and you will find good build quality and the plastic feel good too, if not great. The interiors are very-car like as the X1 shares a lot of bits like the steering wheel, instrument binnacle, gear lever and front seats with the 3-Series. The X1 can accommodate four adults comfortably and a fifth with a squeeze due to the large central tunnel that intrudes into the cabin. The front seats are fairly large and supportive. They are comfortable enough for long journeys and are also electrically adjustable. Move into the rear seats, and you will be disappointed with the space on offer. The kneeroom in particular leaves a little to be desired.

The Highline trim that is available only with a diesel engine and comes embellished with iDrive, panoramic sunroof, rain sensor wipers and xenon headlamps with washers, fits the BMW image well. The switches and the knobs on the centre console are neatly placed and do not look cluttered either. The three-spoke steering wheel gets audio and telephone controls. However, we wish the X1 Highline came with cruise control as well. As for the base versions for both petrol and diesel, these just lack the opulence one expects from a luxury brand like BMW.

The X1 is available with two engine options – a 2-litre petrol and a 2-litre diesel, of which the oil burner does duty on the 320d and the 520d. Both these engines power the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission and we have driven both engine options.

2-litre diesel engine:

The 2-litre diesel engine churns out 177bhp@4000rpm and produces a maximum torque of 350Nm. Like most of the modern diesels, the X1 has strong mid-range and has an even spread of torque throughout the rev range. This delightfully torquey engine is peppy and accelerates with gusto. The diesel X1 did a flat out sprint to 100kph in 8.55 seconds. The engine sound doesn’t intrude much into the cabin, but the diesel clatter is fairly loud on the outside.

The gearbox that comes on the X1 diesel is a quick shifting box – not as quick as the DSG though! You can nudge the gearshifter and it downshifts quickly. The upshifts are smooth and the engine has enough torque to pull in the sixth gear at a speed of 60kmph even when it spins at about 1500rpm.

2-litre petrol engine:

The petrol is a four pot unit that displaces 1995cc and produces a maximum power of 150bhp@6400rpm with a peak torque rated at 200Nm. The X1 with the petrol engine is the cheapest version on sale in India and isn’t available in Highline trim. This engine is a slightly detuned version of the petrol motor that is available on the 320i.

Crank the engine, and it burbles as it springs to life. The engine note sound harsh and rough for a BMW and the engine isn’t happy to be revved hard either; it’s not quick revving , sounds strained and the harshness levels go up with rising revs, more than we would have liked. Plant your right foot and there’s no sense of urgency in the power delivery. The throttle response isn’t great either and feels worse when driven in D mode. As for its performance, the petrol version of the X1 clocked the 100kph in 11.8 seconds.

The X1 shares its underpinnings with the 3-series as both are based on the E90 platform. Soft suspension setup and 17in tyres on the X1 as compared to the 16in tyres on the 3 make the ride more composed. The X1 smoothens most bumps and jolts, but the thud noise is evident thanks to the runflats. There’s also very little that is passed into the cabin, but this is more so for the diesel version than the petrol. The latter feels a little stiffer in comparison.

The X1 like most of the Bimmers has excellent handling attributes. However, the X1 being taller and softer than the 3-series rolls more around bends. This apart, it’s an absolute joy. Turn into a tight corner and the X1 takes up almost anything thrown at it. And if you overdo it with either the steering or throttle mid corner, there’s always ESP to get things back under control. The car turns in with no signs of nervousness, and sweeping corners are dealt with ease. The steering weighs up well and doesn’t feel slack around a corner either. But yes, the steering is heavy at low speeds and can get painful while maneuvering in city traffic or parking. We also missed paddle shifts on the Highline version, which would have made the drive through hills and twisty roads more fun.

The base model of the BMW X1 is available at Rs 26.8 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) which is more expensive than its immediate competition, and frankly the latter offer more in terms of equipment as well. However, a BMW buyer’s priority is to own the premium badge and not to look for value for money product. The X1 definitely has a contemporary design, with decent interior space to seat four adults. To add, it has excellent handling attributes and is fun to drive. But, our serious recommendation would be to buy the diesel version, if you budget permits.