Oh yes, I’m the great pretender…” crooned the platters in the 60’s. It was a great song and now BMW has given the song new relevance as it positions its new X1 as a SUV while it is a small luxury saloon that looks like a muscular SUV. Unlike any true blue sports utility vehicle it does not sport a 4-Wheel drive and has roughly the size and comfort features of a 3 Series saloon but it manages to look ‘macho’ enough to appeal to the great multitude of urban cowboys who almost never venture into the wild and wooly countryside. The concept has clicked beautifully and BMW plants world-wide are working overtime to reduce the waiting lists that are said to be a year long.
So what is so good about the X1? Is it the styling? Well, the styling is pretty good with sleek shadow lines on the bonnet, a well designed rear and sporty low profile tyres on its big 17 inch alloy rims. Even if it does not have the road presence of an X6 it makes an impressive statement that the guy or gal behind the wheel is rich and classy. Is it price? Well, it is far more affordable than anything that has ever come from the BMW stables, or from Audi, Mercedes, Jaguar or Volvo garages. So the price will definitely appeal to many who never thought they would be able to afford a Beamer. It is ‘macho’ enough for most men but also small enough to appeal to many women who are petrified of big and brutal looking monsters. The six speed automatic transmission enhances driving pleasure too.
Under its sleek skin the X1 has also made no compromises and offers a number of BMW hallmark features. It is rear wheel drive with a 50 : 50 weight distribution between the front and rear wheels is the best for road handling. The smooth in-line 2 liter 150 HP petrol and 177 HP diesel engines have enough power and torque to propel the one-and-a half tonne car as fast as any petrol head would desire. Needless to say it comes with the full bag of features for safety with ABS, brake assist, airbags and all the usual jazz. Few features for comfort and relaxation have been omitted from sun roofs and leather upholstery to a battery of electronics for music, rain sensors and climate control. So there you have it. It looks good on the outside, it is superlatively comfortable on the inside and feels good to drive on the roads and is not too expensive.
The ex-showroom prices are `22 Lakhs for the petrol model,
`22.99 Lakhs for the basic diesel and `28.90 Lakhs for the exclusive diesel model. Fuel efficiency conscious buyers would also be interested in the impressive fuel consumption of 11.25 KMPL for the petrol and 15.24 for the diesel models under test conditions.
The writer is an automotive
analyst and the former editor of a national magazine