BMW releases in-house X1 'spy' shots
Bavarians adopt drip-feed pre-release teaser campaign for their upcoming compact SUVIt seems carmakers are increasingly intent on putting spy photographers out of the game by releasing their own 'spy' shots of prototypes.
The latest chapter in this saga is BMW's release of these images of its upcoming X1 baby SUV, which was unveiled at last September's Paris motor show as a near-production-ready concept (more here).
What the pics confirm is that little has changed in the transition to mass-market guise, with the only discernible tweaks being the addition of indicator repeaters on the wing mirrors.
The finished article is due to make its first public showing at September's Frankfurt motor show, and an early-2010 launch has been pencilled in for our market.
BMW's marketing initiative for the X1 reportedly runs under the catchcry "This is your world", and said campaign will be targeted at a younger demographic (than X3/X5 shoppers) who might use it to tote their surfboards, skis, snowboards or mountain bikes.
The initial Euro launch line-up will comprise three variants -- the 130kW X1 xDrive20d (turbodiesel), the 150kW X1 xDrive23d (turbodiesel) and the petrol-powered xDrive28i.
Even the diesel variants should offer lively performance, as BMW quotes 0-100km/h splits of 8.4sec and 7.3 sec for the xDrive 20d and xDrive23d respectively, while the petrol-sucking xDrive 28i dispatches the increment in a claimed 6.7sec.
Initial models will come exclusively with BMW's xDrive AWD system, but rear-drive versions will follow in due course.
The X1 will be built at BMW's Leipzig plant, which also churns out the 1 and 3 Series. And, although yet to be confirmed, it's believed the X1 sources much of its hardware from the 3 Series.
The decision to produce the Euro-focused X1 in Liepzig is said to be in line with BMW's efforts to produce vehicles in regions from where the largest chunk of sales will come.
In keeping with this thinking, the next-gen X3 (currently built by Austria's Magna Steyr) will reportedly join the X5 and X6 at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant.
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