BMW will show a facelifted X1 sport ute at the New York auto show, with plans to sell it in the U.S. as a 2013 model.
While BMW’s X1 has been available around the world for several years, the smallest BMW sport ute has not been sold in the U.S.
That will change for 2013 and BMW will show a facelifted version of the X1 at the New York auto show, according to the automaker.
At 175.4 inches long, the X1 is 4.5 inches shorter than the X3.
Power will come from BMW’s new turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter four cylinder. Output should be about 240 horsepower, similar to the engine’s output in other applications. The engine is currently found in the 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i and 2012 BMW 328i.
One surprise, BMW plans to offer a standard manual transmission, although an eight-speed automatic will be optional. All-wheel drive will most likely be standard equipment.
While the name would indicate that the X1 is related to the 1-Series, it actually has more in common with the 3-Series wagon that is sold in markets outside the U.S.
The X1 went on sale as a 2009 model in other parts of the world, including Canada, but was excluded from U.S. due to strong demand, particularly in Europe. An unfavorable exchange between the U.S. dollar and the euro also made profitability on the model a problem, since the model will slot in at a price point below the X3.
But, like other automakers, BMW is emphasizing smaller models as part of its plan to increase corporate fuel economy.