Road test: 2016 BMW X1 - The National
The first wave in BMW’s “X marks the spot” offensive was rolled out back in 1999 with the launch of the X5, and such has been the sales success of the big SUV (or “SAV”, for Sports Activity Vehicle, in BMW speak) that the Bavarian manufacturer... No surprise, then, that the X1 has clocked up 730,000 global sales since its 2009 launch, with vehicles rolling out of assembly plants not only in Germany, but also China, India, Thailand, Mexico and Russia. One consequence of the UAE’s recent petrol price hikes is we might start seeing a few more X1s on our roads, and that’s all the more likely after October 24, when the revamped, second-generation model goes on sale here. Whereas the oldie was based on a derivative of the rear-wheel-drive architecture that underpins the X3 and 3 Series Touring, the new model shares its front-drive-based platform with the Mini line-up, as well as the 2 Series Active Tourer. It’s all in the name of efficiency, as fuel consumption is improved by up to 17 per cent vis-à-vis the old model, and accelerative performance is also sprightlier. Source: www.thenational.ae
