By: Dave Abrahams
Knysna, Southern Cape - BMW’s second-generation X1 arrived in South Africa this week in a range of three all-wheel drive models, with an additional five front-wheel drive variants still to come.
Production of front-wheel drive X1s had only just begun, we were told at the launch presentation, and they were expected to appear on BMW showroom floor in mid-January 2016.
I had driven the X1 xDrive25i at the world launch in Austria in July 2015 but was looking forward to driving it and its diesel sibling on familiar routes, free of having to worry about staying on the ‘wrong’ side of the narrow Tyrolean roads.
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I was also keen to find out how it would behave on dirt roads, of which there were none on the world launch; they are extremely rare in Austria, even more so in Germany.
The XDrive20d has a two-litre turbodiesel four rated for 140kW at 4000 revs and 40Nm from 1750-2500rpm and is available here only with an eight-speed Steptronic auto transmission.
In the real world, that translates to exactly the way it reads: phenomenal mid-range grunt and enough slick-shifting ratios that it seemingly never runs out of steam.
Hoof it, whether from a standing start or to initiate an overtaking manoeuvre, and there’s a split-second delay as the TwinPower variable-geometry turbo spools up, followed by a gentle but firm shove as the ‘box selects the optimum ratio without going through the sequence first.
Hefty as it is (1625kg kerb weight) the xDrive20d doesn’t so much accelerate as gather momentum - often more of it than you may be ready for. National-road overtakes were almost always followed by a hasty lifting of the right foot so as to return to more civilised velocities.
DUAL-PURPOSE VEHICLE
But it was when we left the national roads for the twistier, narrower secondary roads that the chassis – and in particular the all-wheel drive system, which has more in common with a Mini Countryman than it does with the previous X1 – comes into its own.
Torque is apportioned between front and rear axles by an electronically operated multiplate clutch but since each axle has a conventional - albeit fairly sophisticated differential - torque distribution between left and right is by means of the ABS system.
The cornering brake control system brakes the inside wheels in hard cornering on tar to negate understeer, seamlessly helping the X1 go exactly where it’s pointed, and it holds its line with surprisingly little body roll, given that this is supposed to be a dual-purpose vehicle.
This was underlined by the final section of the first day’s launch drive, a long section of badly rutted gravel road through Karatara and Rheenendal with sections of severe corrugation. The xDrive20d coped and steered well on the loose sections, which were akin to driving on marbles, but the suspension thumped and clonked unpleasantly on really bumpy bits, seemingly lacking sufficient travel as it was both topping and bottoming out.
Several times the rear wheels even attempted to skitter across the road when too much power was applied in corrugated corners, unruly behaviour that was quickly dealt with by the traction control.
PETROL POWER
Day 2 saw me in an xDrive25i, which is also a two-litre turbofour – but that’s where the resemblance ends. The petrol-driven top-of-the-range X1 is tuned for 170kW from 5000-6000rpm and revs willingly to 6500 through the gears with little or no turbo lag.
Peak torque of 350Nm, all the way from 1250-4500rpm, is almost an irrelevance as the 25i pulls like a train from idle to the red line, but definitely does its best work in the upper third of the rev-counter.
Yes, it’s a more engaging drive than the diesel, especially on fast sweepers, but the 20d, with to its more measured response, is more relaxed on poor gravel surfaces.
The second launch drive kicked off with the 68km Prince Alfred’s Pass, South Africa’s longest and the second-oldest unaltered pass still in use. It was in better condition than the Karatara road and the ride, while still unrelentingly firm, was less noisy.
Part of the blame for that firmness, however, must be laid at the door of the low-profile 225/50 Pirellis worn by both vehicles on optional 18 inch rims. If you plan on taking your new X1 down a lot of roads less travelled, you’d do better to stay with the standard 17 inch alloys and 225/55 rubber.
Either way, BMW’s transverse-engined X1 justifies the title given it by the maker, of Sports Activity Vehicle, thanks to superb road manners and reassuring if bumpy dirt-road capability. If the satnav can find it, the new all-wheel drive X1 can take you there - and it’ll happily ferry the kids and their sports kit to school on weekdays.
PRICES
(including VAT but not including CO2 tax)
xDrive20i AT – R539 500
xDrive20d – R557 500
xDrive25i AT– R602 500
(Coming in mid-January 2016)
sDrive18i – R435 000
sDrive18i 6AT – R452 400
sDrive20i AT – R492 000
sDrive20d – R479 500
sDrive20d AT– R498 400
These include a two-year, unlimited distance warranty and a five-year or 100 000km maintenance plan.
IOL