When BMW introduced the latest X1 (U11) last year, it revealed some never-before-seen colors such as Utah Orange and Cape York Green. However, it wasn’t too long after the compact crossover’s official premiere when another type of paint made its debut. Available from the Individual catalog, Blue Bay Lagoon is currently exclusive to the X1 and its electric sibling, the iX1.
A new video shows the zero-emission model wearing this fresh coat of paint on a vehicle configured with the M Sport Package and large 20-inch wheels. It also happens to have the Shadowline front grille and even massaging seats, which are quite rare in this segment. The cabin is upholstered in black Vernasca leather while the dashboard is spruced up with an aluminum trim featuring a mesh effect.
Echoing the 2 Series Active Tourer, the new X1 doesn’t have an iDrive knob anymore. Corroborated with the removal of many physical controls, the interior takes the “less is more” approach as you’ll be accessing most functions from the touchscreen. The infotainment currently runs on iDrive 8 but BMW will soon start production of X1/iX1 models equipped with the Android Automotive-based iDrive 9. The screen size won’t change, so you’ll be getting the same 10.7-inch display.
There’s no denying the third-generation X1 is much more practical than its predecessor, following a growth spurt. It now stretches at 4.5 meters, resulting in greater rear legroom while the cargo capacity is up by 35 liters to 540 liters. Fold down the 40:40:20-split rear bench and the volume grows to 1,600 liters or 50 liters more than before.
The iX1 xDrive30 is currently the only version of the electric model available for the time being. However, a more affordable eDrive20 is believed to enter production near the end of the year with a single motor, so it’ll have a front-wheel-drive configuration and significantly less power than the dual-motor setup. The latter offers 313 hp and 494 Nm to achieve a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 5.6 seconds before hitting an electronically capped 112 mph (180 km/h).
Also coming by the end of 2023 will be the next-gen X2, and it too will get the zero-emission treatment as the iX2.
Source: RybrookTV / YouTube
