2011 BMW X1 Preview

Design
The exterior and interior of the all-new X1 don’t stray from BMW’s familiar styling cues. Looking much like a miniaturized X3 in profile, the front of the X1 bears a striking resemblance to the new 7 Series, introduced last year, while the rear could easily be mistaken for a 3 Series wagon. Rather than introduce a new interior layout, the X1’s cockpit should be very familiar to both 1 Series and 3 Series owners. In fact, the X1 and 3 Series share the exact same front seats.

Smaller than both of its siblings (physically, it is only slightly larger than the BMW 1 Series), the X1 offers seating for up to 5 passengers within its cabin. Though the X1 is smaller in size on the outside than the BMW X3, BMW claims there is more front head room, and greater shoulder room front and rear, in the X1. The rear cargo area is accessed via a traditional one-piece lifting tailgate.

Model Lineup
Like other BMW models, the X1 is expected to be offered with a choice of powerplants that designate the specific model. In Europe, BMW will offer a choice of gasoline or diesel engines. In the States, we will likely see the all-wheel-drive X1 xDrive28i and possibly the rear-wheel-drive X1 sDrive28i, each fitted with the same 3.0-liter, normally aspirated inline-6 that is found in both the 1 Series and 3 Series (BMW’s new nomenclature puts an “x” or “s” in the moniker to differentiate all- or rear-wheel drive, respectively).