This BMW has the X-factor
Wednesday February 10 2010
I GOT plenty of admiring glances during my weekend with the new BMW X1 - there aren't that many on the road over here (yet) and it certainly is a stand-out vehicle.
In days gone by it would have been known as an estate car or perhaps a grand tourer. In the BMW parlance of today it is a compact X model - a joy in material form!!
It is very attractively styled, the brushed 'steel' roof rails, air dams and skirts blending beautifully with a very sporty and dynamic shape.
It is easily identifiable as a BMW, the distinctive bonnet, xenon headlights and foglamps sitting comfortably with the ubiquitous blue and white badge that adorns all the marque's models.
The road test car - provided by official BMW dealers Donohoe's in Enniscorthy - was the sDrive 18 d SE model that comes in at a little over ¤33,000, which is a lot of bang for your buck given BMW's new pricing structure.
With 143 hp on tap, the X1 has CO2 emissions of only 136 g/km, which means that it costs only ¤156 a year to tax and delivers combined consumption of more than 54 mpg.
This is achieved through BMW's EfficientDyanimics technologies which include auto start stop, low friction fluids and an optimum gearchange indicator which shows you when you should engage a higher (or lower) gear.
The auto start stop can be a little disconcerting at first but once you've got used to it and learned to trust it, it's a great fuel saving feature in busy town and city traffic.
On the road, the X1 is rock-steady, easy to drive and agile, the six-speed gearbox and torquey engine allowing more than a degree of sporty motoring, should you wish to push the envelope just a little.
The X1 is very tight and manoeuvrable and is equally at home on bad roads - of which there are plenty in the wake of the snow, ice and floods - and on the highway when it is quiet, efficient and reassuring to drive.
It has bags of room in the front and if there is any criticism to be levelled at the X1, it is that taller rear seat passengers may find themselves looking for just a bit more legroom.
There is no compromise when it comes to safety. Occupants are protected by six airbags in the passenger cell with multiple deformation zones, while Dynamic Stability Control can, if necessary, optimise tractional stability by intervening in the engine and brake management systems, enhancing driver safety.
Aesthetically the X1's interior is a very pleasant place in which to be. It's somewhat austere compared to some of its Japanese rivals, but as you would expect with a BMW it exudes quality and is finished impeccably.
In conclusion I would say that this BMW certainly has the X-Factor and won't cost you the earth to buy or to run. The X1 may be an example of niche marketing, but it's a very good one.
