Carscoop's spy photographers have been working overtime lately managing to capture not one but two prototypes of the new BMW X1 small SUV - Crossover during development testing in and around the Nurburgring. In these latest scoops, BMW's forthcoming VW Tiguan and Toyota RAV-4 rival has lost most of its camouflage giving us a better view of the vehicle's design. As you can see in the photos, with the exception of a few minor details such as the absence of the aluminum skid trays and decorative rocker panels, the production model is almost identical to last year's Paris Show concept study.
This means that the X1 retains the concept's concave body surfacing and fussy detailing as well as the oversize kidney grilles inspired from the new 7-Series. In terms of size, the X1 is slightly smaller than the X3 measuring in at just under 4,500 mm or 175-in length, or around 112 mm (4.4-in.) shorter than its big brother which stands at 4,569 mm or 179-in. However, keep in mind that the next generation X3 will grow in size.
Beneath the sheetmetal, the X1 shares its underpinnings with the four-wheel-drive version of the BMW 3-series, though it has been rumored that BMW may offer rear-wheel drive versions of the SUV bearing the 'sDrive' moniker wheras the AWD variants will get the xDrive nameplate.
When the X1 goes on sale in Europe at the end of the year (there's no word yet on when and if North America will get the X1), it will be offered with a handful of gasoline and diesel powertrains.
The petrol range will include an entry-level 2.0-liter four-pot with 143 and 170HP along with the 3.0-liter straight-six units producing up to 265HP. Europeans will most likely be more interested in the diesel line-up that will consist of 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines delivering between 143 and 204HP and six-cylinder units with up to 245HP.
And how about an X1M version, since BMW has already introduced its first ever 'M' crossovers with the X5M and X6M? We have no information whatsoever on a possible M variant of the X1, and to be frank, we seriously doubt that the Bavarian automaker will consider developing such a model for its small crossover.
