According to top BMW brass, the brand will forge ahead with subscription upgrades for software-based content including, for example, self-parking features that use existing hardware.
However, BMW board member for sales and marketing, Pieter Nota, told UK publication Autocar [↗] that the German brand would no longer charge its customers to switch on a function that was already installed on a car, and specifically mentioned seat heating as an example.
“We thought that we would provide an extra service to the customer by offering the chance to activate that later, but the user acceptance isn’t that high,” Nota said.
“People feel that they paid double – which was actually not true, but perception is reality, I always say. So that was the reason we stopped that.”
The X1 sDrive18i is the only BMW in Australia that was encumbered with the heated seat sub, which could add up to $589 to the cost of the car with the uptake of a lifetime subscription.
The brand’s local ConnectedDrive web page doesn’t display an option for heated seats, though other functions including wireless Apple CarPlay ($450) and High Beam Assistant ($259) are present.
The Equipment Package for the sDrive18i includes “preparation” for front seat heating, according to the Australian specs, while the sDrive20i offers heating functionality out of the box.
BMW Australia has been contacted for comment.
While this instance of charging customers to activate existing hardware may have gone down poorly with consumers, it’s a rapidly growing sector of the automotive industry.
And there are potentially billions of dollars of revenue on the table for those companies that get the mix right.
Ford, for example, says it already has half a million subscribers for its Ford Integrated Services business, which will be run by Apple’s former vice president of services, Peter Stern.
However, there will be headwinds. A 2022 study by Cox Automotive in the US revealed that 75 per cent of consumers are unwilling to subscribe to most vehicle features.
More than 90 per cent of survey respondents said heated and cooled seats should be included in a car’s ticket price, while 89 per cent said that remote-start functions should also be standard fare.
The end game? A potential windfall of US$20 billion a year for the major car companies, as well as the opportunity to shore up dwindling brand loyalty statistics by keeping customers updated with the latest and greatest.
Formally shown off at this year’s IAA Motor Show in Munich, BMW’s Neue Klasse concept foreshadows the Bavarian brand’s future. And it does so with the form factor that’s defined BMW since 1975: the 3 Series.
The current ‘G20’ 3 Series is expected to live on until 2026 and the X3 is pipped to be the first model to utilise the brand’s Neue Klasse architecture – you can see our imagination of that vehicle at the link below.
This time, rendering guru Theottle’s combined the salient feature of Neue Klasse exterior design with some hallmark 3 Series traits to envisage an all-new i3 sedan and wagon.
With the same horizontal grilles (thank goodness BMW is moving away from the buck-teeth 4 Series items) as the concept and confident swage line the run low on the door, there’s plenty of Neue Klasse in our imagination.
‘Our’ i3’s lower valance has been tweaked to make it more production-ready than the concept’s splitter.
At the rear, key 3 Series lineage is clear in this imagination. The modern interpretation of the Hofmeister Kink at the C-Pillar gives way to a short boot lid that slopes gently into the 3 Series’ signature Kamm tail rear end.
For a more production-ready look, the render has a simpler rear taillight design than the concept. The LED lights stand proud, and slope in at the BMW roundel.
Then we’ve got the wagon to talk about. BMW has confirmed a long-roofed ‘Touring’ body will follow the i3 sedan to market.
About six months behind the three-box design, like the current 3 Series expect the wagon to share everything forward of the B-Pillar with the sedan.
From there back, it’s a different – more conventional – interpretation of the Hofmeister Kink, with the rear guards appearing more blistered. A narrow rear window should be able to open freely from the bulky tailgate for easy loading of smaller objects – another 3er Touring hallmark.
Of course, the Neue Klasse is about more than exterior design as BMW – like plenty of other manufacturers – transitions to a ‘mobility’ company, rather than car-maker.
That means occupants will get to interact with the cabin in a whole new way, there’s a panoramic head-up display we saw on the i-Vision Dee, and a focus on recycled materials inside.
LDV Australia has confirmed the Chinese-built eDeliver 7 will be initially offered as an electric-only model when it arrives in the fourth quarter of 2023, or the first portion of 2024.
“Worst case Q1 2024, but it could be Q4 this year,” said LDV Australia’s general manager, Dinesh Chinnappa.
The electric eDeliver 7 – known as the Maxus V70 in its home market – will be offered in short-wheelbase low-roof, medium-wheelbase low-roof, and medium-wheelbase high-roof form. Local pricing and features will be detailed closer to the eDeliver 7’s launch.
It will offer a 77kWh standard-range battery, aiming for over 300km in driving range. Overseas, it has a WLTP-rated 310km driving range, and there’s an 88kWh longer-range battery good for a claimed 382km.
Both are powered by a front-mounted 150kW/330Nm electric motor, with a 120km/h top speed – or 90km/h in eco mode – and a circa-12-second 0-100km/h time.
With the full-size eDeliver 9 electric van priced from $99,990 before on-road costs, the eDeliver 7 will likely be priced between $85,000 and $95,000 plus on-roads – undercutting the $92,990 eT60 ute to become LDV’s cheapest electric vehicle.
LDV’s Australian arm expressed interest in combustion-engined versions of the Deliver 7 mid-size van down the track but is yet to confirm a date.
The Chinese-market version of the Deliver 7 is offered as a panel van or people carrier, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and an automatic transmission.
It has a reported fuel consumption of 7.4L/100km, and is said to ride on a ‘new’ architecture shared with the electric van.
With recent success in the large van category, where the LDV Deliver 9 outsold the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for the first time in two decades, the Chinese brand hopes to “have the same impact” in the smaller segment.
VFACTS new-car sales data reveals the long-running Toyota HiAce (4409) dominates the mid-size van segment year-to-date, followed by the LDV G10 (2485), the soon-to-be-replaced Ford Transit Custom (2164), and the Hyundai Staria Load (1742).
“We expect our new mid-size van will replicate the success of the Deliver 9 and shake up its respective segment,” Chinnappa said in January.
Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) will be required for the eDeliver 7 to be sold in Australia, potentially life-saving technology that the G10 and V80 both currently lack. All new vehicles sold here after March 2025 will require AEB.
Just like in the United Kingdom, Australian eDeliver 7’s will be equipped with ‘level two’ driver-assist tech. This includes lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, door opening warning, and six airbags, as well as AEB.
Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, high-beam assist, a 360-degree camera, and emergency calling are also standard in the UK.
The 2024 LDV eDeliver 7 electric mid-size van is due in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, or in early 2024. The diesel variant is expected to follow at a later date.
It will face competition from the all-electric Ford E-Transit Custom, due to arrive in Australia sometime in 2024, joined by the next-generation diesel model.
Firefighters were called to a parking lot on Airport Drive, Mascot, where flames had engulfed an electric car – identified as an MG ZS EV – before spreading to another four other motor vehicles.
Fire authorities have pinpointed a high-voltage battery pack located on the ground in front of the MG as the source of the fire.
“A battery, which had recently been detached from the luxury car and stored in the lot, was quickly identified as having sparked the blaze,” read a statement from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW).
The circumstances around the blaze are unusual, to say the least.
Vision from FRNSW clearly shows the battery pack lying on the ground in front of the vehicle, which is located in a vehicle holding yard at the base of Sydney Airport’s control tower.
It is understood that the battery had been damaged before it was removed from the vehicle and had been exposed to the elements for some time.
Given the close proximity of the vehicles in the parking compound, several have been badly damaged by the fire.
However, the fire damage is not as comprehensive as it could potentially have been, with the structures of the cars still visible and the battery pack of the MG still recognisable.
It’s not known if the MG’s battery was a later-model lithium iron phosphate type, which is less prone to what is known as thermal runaway than lithium-ion batteries.
However, the circumstances around the battery being removed from the car and stored in such a haphazard and unsupervised way will require considerable investigation.
The Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) are piecing together the circumstances surrounding the incident, according to the FRNSW.
Research officers from FRNSW’s Safety of Alternative and Renewable Energy Technologies (SARET) team have also inspected the scene.
MG Australia has been working with the fire department since the incident yesterday.
“MG understands the customer’s vehicle and battery were already damaged and the battery was not in the vehicle. We understand the vehicle was being stored at an airport holding yard and also not in a driveable condition,” the company said in a latest statement released Thursday.
Electric vehicle fires are very rare in Australia, though the damage they can potentially inflict can be catastrophic.
A recent fire – also on Monday night – aboard a Tesla Model 3 sedan, captured by fire crews in Penrose, NSW [↗], resulted from debris hitting the car’s underside while travelling on a freeway. No one was injured in the incident.
As the first vehicle in the Stellantis portfolio to use the automotive supergroup’s STLA Medium architecture – that promises over 700km WLTP driving range – the E-3008 is a crucial model.
The Peugeot E-3008 will be released in Australia, though timing and pricing are yet to be confirmed. It will hit European showrooms in February 2024.
“On the back of launching Peugeot’s first all-electric vehicles in the Australian market – the e-Partner van and e-2008 SUV – we’re pleased to confirm the Next-Level E-3008, revealed globally today, will launch in Australia”, said Peugeot Australia managing director Kate Gillis.
This is the latest and most comprehensive part of the French carmaker’s goal to offer BEVs in every segment by 2025 on its way to selling only electric cars in Europe by 2030. The Australian arm is yet to make a commitment to ending piston-engine sales.
In Europe, the French-built E-3008 is offered in three powertrain configurations with two battery sizes. The smaller 73kWh can be paired with single or twin motors, both with a targeted driving range of 525km in the WLTP combined cycle.
The Long Range steps up to a 98kWh pack good for 700km driving range – that would be enough to make the E-3008 the longest-range EV on sale in Australia today.
For comparison, the longest-range Tesla Model Y is capable of 533km from a single charge in WLTP testing. Peugeot’s 700km target figure is yet to be homologated, however.
Power levels are moderate, with even the quickest dual motor variant boasting 235kW, adequate for a family SUV. The Long range and single motor get 155kW and 170kW motors.
Although released as a BEV-only proposition initially, Peugeot mentions that hybrid versions of the third-gen 3008 will be added for select markets in the future – perhaps this includes Australia.
Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity has been confirmed, as has in-car connectivity with Peugeot’s latest live traffic navigation and must-have connected services technology.
There will be just two trim levels offered at launch, Allure and GT. Allure actually gets a pair of 10-inch screens rather than the GT’s single 21-inch item. It’s also fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels, fabric/leather upholstery, and single-tone paint.
The GT trim levels up the luxury with two-tone paint and contrasting roof colour, 20-inch alloy wheels, active LED headlights, power tailgate, seat heating, quilted leather upholstery, customisable ‘i-Toggle’ switches, and more advanced infotainment software.
A medium SUV, the E-3008 measures 4.54m long, 1.89m wide, and 1.64m tall. It’s about 100mm longer, 50mm wider and 20mm taller than the existing 3008, boding well for improved cabin space.
Peugeot has prioritised sustainability in the E-3008’s construction. Over 500kg of the car’s construction is ‘green materials’, including carbon-friendly aluminium and steel in the body and chassis.
Parts inside are produced using eco-friendly polymers, while the bumpers, spoiler, storage bins, and carpets are constructed from recycled plastic.
To get rid of harmful processes in production, the E-3008 does without any chrome exterior highlights. peugeot has also drastically reduced decorative inserts to lower the use of plastic.
As before, a larger 5008 will be spun off the 3008 – likely with three rows of seating. Expect a reveal in early 2024.
With European deliveries to begin in February 2024, Australian arrivals are likely to ramp up towards the end of next year. Pricing is hard to predict with Peugeot Australia’s current strategy, but we expect a high-spec entry model to be priced beyond $75,000.
Our original story, below, continues unchanged
The images show the E-3008 in full, with no camouflage or tricks hiding the design. The sloping coupe roofline takes inspiration from the 408 coupe crossover, rather than referencing Peugeot’s more boxy second-gen 3008.
There are very bold exterior details, too, including those extremely unconventional aerodynamic alloys, Lambo Urus-like high rear deck and futuristic cabin styling. We’ll reserve judgement until our eyes have graced a production model but in the meantime let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
The new platform obliges two- or all-wheel electric drive with a potential driving range of up to 700km for the longest-range variant thanks to the STLA Medium platform’s ability to package a 98kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
Unlike the existing 3008 SUV there seem to be no plans to offer combustion-engined or plug-in hybrid variants of the third-gen E-3008. The existing car may instead live on to serve markets such as Australia, the Middle East and Asia.
Inside, the design references existing Peugeot language but is much closer to concept car in execution. Swathes of tactile-looking fabric coat horizontal surfaces (not unlike the Renault Megane E-Tech), while the French brand says there are 21 inches of screen within its new ‘i-Cockpit’ that seamlessly combines the digital driver’s display and infotainment touchscreen.
We expect nothing less than the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity that’s quickly becoming the norm. Peugeot is likely to introduce more advanced phone connectivity to compete with Tesla’s Model Y, Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, and Renault’s Scenic E-Tech.
Peugeot will release final details including the nitty gritty on driving range, dimensions, and likely European pricing of the E-3008 on September 12.
“We’re thrilled to be sharing the Ferrari Roma Spider with our clients here in Australia”, said president of Ferrari Australasia, Dr. Jan Hendrik Voss.
“This timeless soft-top is attracting attention from those who already love the open-top experience of our cars, and from clients who are now looking forward to their first open-air Ferrari.”
A full $110,000 dearer than the Roma coupe, the Spider is equipped with a power-retractable soft top that can open in 13.5 seconds at speeds of up to 60km/h. It also becomes the first rag-top ‘Rari in more than half a century.
With 456kW and 760Nm sent from its 3.9-litre turbo-petrol V8 to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Roma Spider (with its 85kg weight penalty) can reach 100km/h from rest in 3.4 seconds and boasts a 320km/h top speed.
Available to order from Ferrari dealers now, the Roma Spider will arrive in the second quarter of next year following the brand’s first four-door vehicle – that it won’t call an SUV – the V12 Purosangue. Wheels will experience the Roma Spider for the first time next week.
| Variant | Price (before on-road costs) |
|---|---|
| Roma | $409,888 |
| Roma Spider | $520,300 |
Our original story, below, continues unchanged
The 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider replaces the coupe’s fixed roof with a retractable soft-top that can be opened in 13.5 seconds.
US publication Road and Track reports it will replace the Portofino M in the Italian marque’s lineup, with the Roma featuring a more-potent version of the 3.9-litre F154 twin-turbocharged V8.
It is the first front-engined Ferrari fabric-top since the 365 GTS/4 – also known as the Daytona Spyder – ended production in the early 1970s.
To create the Roma Spider, Ferrari’s engineers added a five-millimetre nolder to the top of the windscreen for aerodynamics, an automatic “patented” wind deflector, and modified the active rear spoiler.
Under the bonnet, the Roma Spider retains the familiar 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 456kW and 760Nm, with power sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Despite an 84-kilogram weight increase, it has an identical 3.4-second 0-100km/h sprint time, with a 320km/h top speed.
Inside, the Roma Spider is again familiar, with a digital instrument cluster, a portrait-orientated 8.4-inch infotainment system, optional passenger display, and a centre console bridge separating the driver and front passenger.
The 2024 Ferrari Roma has been confirmed for Australia, with local pricing and details to be announced closer to its launch.
Currently, the 2023 Ferrari Roma hardtop is priced from $409,888 before on-road costs in Australia, with a price increase likely for the Spider.
Well, not quite – there are no bargains on offer here, unless you get it into your head that the one-run Kona N will be a collector’s item some day.
With the bigger and more family-focused second-generation Kona now on the market, and no plans for a hot version (well, no announced plans), the company’s local arm there are just 26 examples left of the outgoing Kona N.
The 26 Ns are spread across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
‘Hot SUVs’ have been a polarising concept since the Grand Cherokee SRT appeared, and that was only stoked by the blasphemous launches of the Cayenne and X5 in increasingly hot forms. Now you can scarcely find an SUV line-up without a fast hero model.
The type has become wildly capable over the years, however, and few more so than the Kona N. At its Australian launch, tested on road and track, we scored it an 8.5 out of 10. Not a perfect car by any means, a little compromised here and there – but handy steerer Cam Kirby praised its personality and “duality of character”.
Duality of character? Yeah, it’s not bad to live with, Alex Affat decided after a few months commuting to and from the Wheels Media office in a Kona N. (He named it KonaN O’Brien. Affat no longer works here.)
They say it is, mainly because they’ve forsworn any future petrol-powered N models, and the new 400V-based Kona Electric doesn’t meet the brand’s criteria for a go-hard EV that can go hard… well, not all day, but longer than an hour before needing another hour to charge. (The Ioniq 5, and its N flagship, are built on an 800V architecture.)
A hotted-up Kona Electric could happen, but it’d still be electric, and not every performance buyer wants that.
So, until we know what the ? holds, you’ve got 26 chances to pick up a new old Kona N. (Or, you know, just buy a thrashed “one elderly owner, never tracked” one. I too like to live dangerously.)
We were pretty close with our previous speculative artwork, thanks to the spy photos available at the time. Now, though, there’s little left to wonder at.
Speaking with Wheels Media, Volkswagen Group Australia spokesperson Daniel DeGasperi confirmed that while the brand initially wanted the plug-in hybrid EV Tiguan, it is now mindful that the market’s interest in electrification has quickly shifted towards pure EVs.
“We were very interested in PHEV, particularly in Golf and Tiguan, but the reality is the market shifts very quickly and no doubt the entire industry has observed the rapid increase in electric vehicle sales,” he said.
“The timing of this was really such that all-new Tiguan and ID.4 will launch quite closely together – so the gap between internal-combustion engine and EV won’t be as significant as it once was.”
Mr DeGasperi said that while PHEVs have been important differentiators for its Cupra and Audi cousins, “doing an outstanding job with PHEV”, Volkswagen’s role as the volume brand is to focus on the types of cars most Australians want.
“Potentially, if we could get PHEV much earlier than the ID.4, it would make greater sense,” he added – giving buyers an at-least partly electric medium SUV in the VW range.
He noted that with the new petrol-only Tiguan’s late 2024 or early 2025 Australian debut landing closely to the launch timing for the all-electric ID.4, the one will “perfectly complement” the other.
“PHEV definitely has a place, and it’s a technology that will be introduced globally into both the all-new Tiguan and Passat,” he said.
Clearly, Volkswagen’s local arm sees this as an ideal ‘choose your own adventure’ offering for buyers on both sides of the electric fence.
But, for the fence sitters (please, dear reader, do not sit on an electric fence), is there no place for plug-in hybrids – if only to win the road-tripping buyers who can’t overcome their range anxiety?
“The simple reality is that we’re not seeing that in the Australian market – we’re not seeing that in meaningful numbers for PHEV sales,” he said.
“Particularly when you consider that ID.4 has a 500-kilometre-plus range, we think that (range anxiety) is quite a non-issue and that Australians are voting with their wallets to go straight to BEV.”
Above: Cupra is doing “an outstanding job” with PHEV, VW feels
“To date, we have sold every car (Outlander PHEV) we can get our hands on,” Mitsubishi PR boss Adam Davis said, noting that its record sales in the US and “consistent demand” in Japan, along with delivery delays, have made it difficult to meet demand here.
He confirmed that 12.9 per cent (673) of the Eclipse Cross’s 5207 sales year-to-date went to PHEV, while the supply-constrained Outlander PHEV has made up 402 of the line’s 14,748 YTD sales.
Back to Volkswagen, Mr DeGasperi reiterated that buyers seeking a combination of petrol performance and commute-friendly, shorter-range EV driving and hybrid-like fuel efficiency besides, “we have vehicles like the Cupra Formentor that can fulfill that, and Audi has just released the Q5 PHEV (Q5 55 TFSIe)”.
Of course, you’d be unlikely to see a Volkswagen dealer franchise direct buyers to a Cupra or Audi showroom unless they also own that franchise…
They may not need to, however, with most Tiguan buyers already going for the more expensive variants – powerful 162TSI models and the hero Tiguan R – suggesting the cost of an ID.4 won’t be much of a deterrent.
Above: The hero Tiguan R has proven compelling for Aussie SUV buyers
“So in terms of volume, again, even the way the ID.4 will be priced, Volkswagen are fortunate that we have a customer base that is willing to vote with their wallets and buy the top end models. That’s a huge vote of confidence in our product. Tiguan R, since its supply has been relatively unconstrained in the last six months or so, has soared in sales and deliveries.
“So we think that the the combination of turbo petrol and all electric, that will be the focus in the medium SUV segment for us next year,” he added.
The prediction comes from financial firm Morgan Stanley [via Reuters ↗] – which catalysed a 10 per cent spike to Tesla’s stock price overnight, adding more than AU$100 billion to its market valuation, according to Markets Insider [↗].
Tesla’s Dojo supercomputer only uses video data recordings from Tesla owners’ real-life driving situations to train its machine-learning model and improve its camera-only ‘Tesla Vision’ safety assistance systems. The camera-only Dojo will ditch 300,000-plus lines of code.
Ultimately, it aims to fast-track the development of the company’s full-self driving (FSD) beta software, which will be enabled when it’s updated to version 12.
Tesla plans to spend more than AU$1.5 billion in the next year on Dojo and Morgan Stanley analysts predict it could open up revenue opportunities for the company beyond selling electric vehicles and energy products.
The company hovered around AU$400 per share last week and is currently trading at about AU$426.
Despite selling globally-popular electric vehicles, Tesla’s profits have reportedly mostly come from selling carbon offset credits to other automakers, its public Supercharging network, and energy business.
They were allegedly part of the FSD Beta team, where data image labellers – who train the software to detect objects and signs – could access customer vehicle recordings.
FSD Beta has been available since late 2020 in North America – but has been under scrutiny from regulators as it may ‘act unsafe’.
The company has long claimed an ‘imminent’ full autonomous driving future, with so-called ‘robotaxis’ transporting passengers.
In Australia, new and existing Tesla electric vehicle owners have the option to purchase a ‘Full Self-Driving Capability’ software package for $10,100 – but only ‘promises’ FSD.
Some hated it, others were more admiring but said a premium compact SUV would never work. Either way, BMW’s rivals immediately followed suit and the segment took off.
Also in classic BMW form, the pioneer didn’t necessarily become the victor. But that was three generations ago and the innovator is having another crack at small SUV domination, this time bringing a gun to a knife party.
Styling has grown up and is more handsome in alignment with other big BMW high-riders
An all-wheel drive, four-cylinder X1 looks after the pointy end of the new range, straying close to $70K territory when hopped-up with the M Sport pack but at the entry point, the X1 sDrive 18i tested here is $53,900 before on-road costs. That’s still about $6000 more than the most affordable second-gen version but the new model brings a lot to justify its inflation.
For a start, it’s bigger with exterior dimensions growing as much as 53mm (in length) while a 22mm stretch of the wheelbase has helped increase interior space including the boot which, at 540 litres, is 35L bigger – although you’ll not even find a space-saver spare in there.
Styling has grown up and is more handsome in alignment with other big BMW high-riders, and it’s filled with more technology.
A beautiful curved central display measures 10.7 inches and lifts the entire space into new territory, enhanced by and connected to a 10.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster and head-up display – very uncommon at the entry point of this segment.
The impressive displays offer access to BMW’s very cool augmented reality navigation technology that works brilliantly, a suite of effective voice-controlled functions, and a system start-up sound that is reminiscent of an early 2000s Mac laptop.
Our favourites are the Expressive and Digital Art modes that use works by artist Cao Fei and are endlessly mesmeric.
While the impressive new technological interface works a treat in practice, there is a virtual fly in the pixellated ointment as this OS8 operating system is among the first to introduce subscription services, which BMW says allows better “comfort and flexibility” but will also be a handy earner for the German giant as well. Want heated seats in the entry-level X1? That’ll be from $29 a month or $589 for life.
The wireless phone charging dock has a clever strap to brace the device visibly upright and against a cooling fan
What is included in the price is a comprehensive suite of safety gear, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, native navigation, DAB+ digital radio, 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, adaptive LED headlights and cruise control, power tailgate, and wireless phone charging, which has a clever strap to brace the device visibly upright and against a cooling fan.
This particular test vehicle has been treated to $4615 worth of Enhancement Pack, which adds niceties such as a panoramic roof, Cape York Green paint (normally $1385), electric adjustment for the front seats and a nicer Harman Kardon stereo.
Our car also has a $1539 set of 19-inch alloys with P Zero rubber. If this version is looking pretty and premium it’s because it has a pretty premium price of $60,415 (excluding on-road costs) as tested.
A 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine produces 115kW and 230Nm, which is not exactly M-territory but thanks to a surprisingly light kerb weight, translates to more meaningful performance than expected. Sprinting from rest to 100km/h is said to take nine seconds but thanks to peak torque delivery between 1500rpm and 4600rpm, the entry X1 feels more urgent than the figures suggest.
Its engine is eager and sounds sweet with a classic three-pot hum and makes a nice pairing with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, although the latter does need a bit of waking up when pinning the throttle from a standstill.
BMW’s littlest SUV has also been given a good ride revision, with most of the suddenness distilled out of the previous generation model despite this one running on the largest wheels available.
There’s a bit of crash on larger imperfections but its cabin remains quiet and the steering well insulated for bumps without removing the light but pleasant feedback.
BMW really is nailing the alternative materials game without looking too try-hard or tacky and its X1 continues the advance into beautifully bohemian and sustainable.
With soft-touch and interesting textures, an interior of this calibre would be expected at the pointy end of the line-up, not at the most affordable point. It’s bolstered with practicality and clever storage under and in the centre console and armrest along with the usual USB-C modern car calling cards.
BMW’s third-generation X1 comes at a cost, but what the German car-maker has identified is that beating its rivals to the top of a premium pile required a premium fight. By avoiding a cheap entry-level version that’s hard to recommend, the new X1 is more money yet better value than ever.
| 2023 BMW X1 sDrive 18i specifications | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1499cc inline 3, dohc 12v turbo-petrol |
| Max power | 115kW @ 6500 rpm |
| Max torque | 230Nm @ 1500-4600 rpm |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual-clutch |
| Weight | 1500kg |
| 0-100km/h | 9.0s |
| Economy | 6.5L/100km |
| Price | $53,900 + on-road costs |
| On sale | now |
