New, Smaller BMW Coming In 2010 - The X1
September 26th, 2006
BMW has kicked off a top secret plan for a baby SUV – the X1 – to take on Toyota’s Rav4. The junior ‘X’ model will mix a 1-series footprint with the X3’s four-wheel drive. The four-seat X1 will run four- and six-cylinder engines, and arrive in showrooms in 2010. Photo above was sourced from carmagazine.co.uk.
BMW predicts that the mid-size SUV market will double by 2016. And the cheapest X car will be pitched at the largest sector of the market, targeting young families, active singles and empty nesters. Those punters want vehicles with a higher seating position, decent safety, extra space and a premium interior, but they are not obsessed with status-through-size and high-performance engines. Like its competitors, the X1 won’t be a hardcore mud-wrestler but a tall, pumped up estate, which majors on visibility and versatility.
BMW Officially Releases Info on the New X5
August 8th, 2006
The new BMW X5 raises the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) driving experience to an even higher standard. Powerful eight and six-cylinder engines, unique suspension, enhanced BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive technology, as well as a weight-optimized bodyshell with extreme torsional stiffness all interact to ensure excellent agility and dynamic performance.
The two engines being offered are the 3.0-liter inline six producing a nice 260 horsepower (up from 225 hp) and the 4.8-liter V8 producing 350 horsepower (down from 355 hp, though featuring substantially upgraded internals and electronics) that’s capable of propelling the top trim to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. The X5 also gets a new six-speed auto tranny to replace the old one that features a new gear selector. Interior highlights include the addition of iDrive (perhaps that’s a lowlight), a rear backup camera, a Heads Up Display (GM was so ahead of its time), Sirius Satellite Radio and iPod integration. Of course, the X5 is also full of electronic gadgets that keep the car on its intended path, which includes ActiveSteering, AdaptiveDrive, Dynamic Stability Control, Hill Descent Control and xDrive all-wheel drive, among others. Read the rest of this entry »