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Gorgeous X1 Breaks Cover! Oct. 1, 2008 ) BMW's smaller but still aggressive-looking X1. Click on images for larger views.
BMW is foreshadowing this new vehicle at the Paris auto show. While called a concept, little is expected to change for the production version. The automaker's latest design language, which began with the new Z4 and 7 Series earlier this year, carries over to this baby Sports Activity Vehicle — which means frowning eyebrow headlamps, an oversized double-kidney grille and dynamic taillamps with LED bars. A stand-out design cue, in particular, is a character line that visually ties in the X1's entire profile. It essentially begins in the hood, travels up the A-pillar, follows the top of the side windows, curves around BMW's signature Hofmeister kink, disappears only briefly, and then reappears in the lower door panels. It's attractive and adds a lot of interest to the vehicle's overall aesthetic — which would likely be ordinary and boring without it. Big-diameter wheels together with black-trimmed wheel arches make the X1 appear larger than it actually is. Silver skid plates all along the bottom hint at off-road prowess but likely won't make it to production. The front is very upright with foglights positioned high. The rear glass slopes for a sporting fastback flair. While we previously predicted the X1's engines would mirror those in the 1 Series car line (see Spied! X1 Sports Activity Vehicle), we no longer believe this to be true. BMW will likely stick to a normally aspirated inline- six that generates around 260 horsepower, mostly to avoid cannibalizing sales of the next-generation X3. Look for the X1 to hit dealerships sometime in 2011. Also see: X1 Photos )
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