If there’s one thing you can say about BMW’s test pilots, it’s that they surely don’t take it easy on the cars they’re driving, especially on the Nurburgring. After all, they kinda have to, right?
Even so, we can’t help but think that they could possibly take it easier on them, and spare the tires and whatnots, not every time, but maybe on one or two occasions.
The latest car they’re pushing to the limit is the upcoming BMW F48 X1, one of those vehicles that will write another page in the Bavarian manufacturer’s history. That’s because it will be the second car from Munich to be sending its wheels to the front axle.
That’s right, the most popular crossover from their line-up (and the only one at the moment) will migrate to a FWD architecture, using the UKL platform just like the 2 Series Active Tourer and the new MINI models.
Hard to believe that MINI and the X1 share the same platform, right? Well, it’s true and other models will soon do the same, as part of BMW’s plan to further reduce production costs, make more cars faster and, eventually, make more money.
The F48 version will be using the same 1.5-liter and 2-liter B-family engines like the British cars but with possible different power outputs that will go up to 300 HP, according to the latest rumors.
Fitting them transversally will also allow the designers to change the car’s dimensions, making it smaller for city usage and more spacious inside at the same time. On the outside, expect it to be more like the current X3, X4 and X5 models.
Speaking of the busy cities that clog our lungs with smog and other nasty chemicals, the X1 will surely also receive a hybrid eDrive version that will be pluggable and that will have a range of around 20 miles (30 km) to allow you to perform all your daily commutes without polluting the air.
It all sounds ... confusing. While we welcome the new engine family that we got to experiment with on the new Cooper S, and the hybrid alternative, we still can’t wrap our heads around the FWD aspect of the whole thing. Fortunately, the US market will only get the xDrive alternatives.
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