Cruising with the second-generation BMW X1

Asian Carmakers Corp. president Maricar Parco and marketing chief Karl Magsuci with the motoring media participants

The second-generation BMW X1 is what BMW calls an SAV (sports activity vehicle), and it has come of age.

Now more chiseled and muscular, the new X1’s rugged proportions impose a more powerful presence on the road, and as the youngest member of the family, its dynamic lines stayed true to its X family roots.

Introduced by Asian Carmakers Corp. (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines in April 2016, it is a more desirable successor that pioneered the premium compact segment.

As of date, some 730,000 units of the X1 have been sold worldwide.

With more passenger legroom and cargo space, it has also grown in overall height by 53 mm and seating position by 36 mm in front and 64 mm at the rear seats, offering a better view of the road.

BMW added 37 mm in legroom at the backseat and boot capacity by 85 liters for an overall 505 liters of cargo space.

By folding down the 40:20:40 rear seat backrest, it allows load capacity to be expanded to as much as 1,550 liters.

Last week, ACC invited select members of the motoring media in what BMW Philippines dubbed as an exclusive BMW X1 “city-to-sea” drive.

From the busy streets of Manila to the backroads heading up north to Subic Bay, the drive featured the model’s efficiency, superior driving dynamics, best-in-class interior flexibility for cargo space, and seamless connectivity.

ACC even took efforts to upload a bespoke set of playlist from the favorite tunes of all the participants to make the drive even more personalized.

The drive included a visit to BMW’s San Fernando, Pampanga dealership, and an overnight stay at Subic’s newest ACEA beach resort with a sunset cruise aboard a chartered yacht around Subic Bay.

Inside the interior of the X1, one can quickly appreciate the premium feel that is to be expected in any BMW vehicle.

The convoy of X1 vehicles arrive at their destination after a daylong drive.

Aside from the added legroom and cargo space, its new interior layout combines a driver-focused cockpit design with features that give more driving pleasure and intuitive controls.

Among its standard equipment is an automatic air conditioning, an audio system with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and aux-in outlets, and the iDrive operating system, whose 6.5-inch display is integrated into the instrument panel.

BMW also allows further individualization with its xLine package.

Powering the X1 is an inline four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine from BMW’s latest generation and award-winning engine with its fuel consumption and emissions reduced by as much as 17 percent from the previous model.

The second-generation BMW X1’s fuel consumption is rated at 4.9 liters/100 km and CO2 emission is rated at 130 g/km, thanks to its award-winning BMW TwinPower Turbo diesel engine.

It is rated with an output of 190 hp and torque of 400 Nm, and mated with an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission.

To make sure it has the complete SAV experience, the X1 features BMW’s newest xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system so it will be surefooted under almost all road conditions.

Thanks to its weight-saving, compact and efficient xDrive, the system uses an electro-hydraulically-controlled multi-plate clutch to distribute drive between the front and rear axle just as required for the situation at hand.

It also sports a newly developed chassis enhancing better handling dynamics and yet offering superior ride comfort compared to the previous generation model.

Test drive units of the BMW X1 used for the Subic drive at the ACEA Hotel grounds

BMW currently has eight dealers nationwide: Auto Allee BMW in Eton Centris, North Edsa; Autohaus BMW in Quezon City; Motor Ventures BMW in Alabang; Prestige Cars BMW in Makati; Premier Cars BMW in Pampanga; Autobahn BMW in Bacolod; Autowelt BMW in Cebu; and Premium Motoren BMW in Cagayan de Oro.

The BMW X1 xDrive20d with xLine package retails at P3.34 million. For more information about BMW and the X1, visit www.bmw.com.ph.