BMW's brand new 2016 X1 adopts a MINI chassis and mainstream SUV manners - New York Daily News
Some BMW enthusiasts wince every time the brand's front-wheel drive platform is mentioned. The results are beginning to show: Downsized engines, front-wheel-drive models, the "i" sub-brand. And now, the X1. It's a huge milestone, because it is the brand's first front-wheel drive vehicle for the U. S. market. And switching from a rear-wheel-drive platform, with a longitudinally mounted four or straight-six engine, over to a front-wheel-drive platform, one with a transversally mounted three- or four-banger, allows for a much larger cabin. Having an engine mounted sideways carves out extra room for passenger space, something many SUV and crossover buyers put a premium on. The former X1 was pretty tight in this regard, but this one offers an airy cabin with ample space not just up... Looking down on regular cars is exactly what you are looking for, no. Beyond the added space and the raised driving position, the cabin is tastefully equipped, with high-quality materials and logical controls resembling BMW’s larger models. As to BMW's trademark driver orientation, something you’d find in the M3 sport sedan or M4 coupe, well, we suspect this wasn’t a high priority in this vehicle. Source: www.nydailynews.com
