The 2016 BMW X1 Now With Boundless Driving Pleasure
By Paulo Acoba
How does one add boundless driving pleasure to a small crossover SUV? Apparently BMW has added lots of it to its second generation BMW X1 according to their announcement earlier today (June. 2,2015.) With more power, a better handling and capable chassis, versatility and improved safety features, you can take your all new 2016 BMW X1 practically anywhere (except off road for an extended period of time) with the confidence and knowledge that you have enough power and suspension to handle whatever the road throws your way.
BMW is proud of it’s twin turbocharged four-cylinder engine. So much so that in the press release, they reeeally highlighted it’s figures. As if to say, “Hey, don’t pay attention to our all new FWD platform….look at our shiny new engine with more horsepowers.” But all in all, it is a really good engine. Its 2.0 TwinPower inline 4 cylinder is good for 228 HP at 5000 RPM and 258 lbs-ft of torque between 1500 and 4500 RPM. All that torque low in the rev range means you’ll have plenty of oomph off the starting line, enough for a blast to 60 MPH in 6.3 seconds. Give it the full beans for long enough and you’ll hit 130 MPH. Option it out with a special performance option and full snell comes in at 143 MPH. And when traction becomes an issue, BMW’s X-Drive will sort things out for you with the ability to send 100 percent of the available power to the rear wheels.
Then there’s its looks. The majority of automotive journalists right now really, really like how this second generation X1 looks. A big chunk of that comes from it’s all new FWD drivetrain. With a shorter hood and an overall friendly proportion to the eyes, the all-new BMW X1 takes the best cues from X design and incorporates them into an attractive looking little number. It actually looks fantastic.
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This 2016 BMW X1 is also more efficient. Inside the engine BMW has, ” incorporated an aluminum crankcase and cylinder head, forged steel crankshafts with an integrated balance shaft drive, low-weight pistons, forged connecting rods, friction-reduced cylinder coatings and map-controlled oil pumps.” BMW has also cut the fat and replaced it with high strength steel. Especially in the front end. The all-new 8-speed transmission ensures that you’re sipping fuel at just the right gear ratio. And with BMW’s ECO PRO mode, the engine shuts off when you let your foot off the accelerator between 30-100 MPH.
Finally, there’s improved safety features. Heads up display comes standard on all BMW X1 models. Driving assistant plus now comes as an option with, “Stop & Go function, Lane Departure Warning, Traffic Jam Assistant, Collision Warning and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function.” Expect pricing to be around $30,000, boundless driving pleasure standard.