BMW X1 xDrive 28i

What‘s it? A very good deal more torque, reduced consumption, lower emissions and fewer weight - but better? Before driving BMW’s new X1xDrive28i, the very first model to feature the German car maker’s new turbocharged 2. 0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, I wasn’t so sure. The new unit, referred to as N20 and set to head into an entire choice of models inside the not-too-distant-future, is conceived to (indirectly ) replace perhaps one of the landmark engines in our time, BMW’s classic naturally aspirated 3. 0-litre in-line six-cylinder, included in an on-going downsizing program in the centre from the company’s much heralded EfficientDynamics initiative. The new four-cylinder follows the blueprint laid down by BMW’s most recent turbocharged 3. 0-litre in-line six-cylinder ; it boasts a similar 91mm bore centre spacing and runs a twin scroll turbocharger (albeit from Mitsubishi not Borg Warner ), Valvetronic variable valve timing, Vanos camshaft control system and latest 200bar direct injection system from Bosch. At 144kg, additionally weighs 18kg lower than the old naturally aspirated six-cylinder. What is it like? First impressions reveal it to become well as much as the work. With peak power and torque arriving 1600rpm and 1350rpm sooner than using the old six-cylinder, BMW’s latest four-cylinder doesn’t need to be worked anywhere near as hard before delivering its best. In daily driving, It‘s noticeably more responsive, although its non-descript aural attributes are nowhere near as alluring as those from the engine it replaces (something BMW says will certainly be rectified on certain models, including the upcoming Z4sdrive20i, from the addition of the electronic sound generator ). The new BMW engine might give away 12bhp to its perceived predecessor, though it‘s wonderfully refined and always feels more urgent ; with 258lb ft of torque on tap at just 1250rpm its delivery is uncannily as a modern day diesel, with particularly strong low end attributes by four-cylinder standards and impressive flexibility across an array of revs. BMW puts the X1xDrive28i’s 50mph to 72mph fourth gear split at just 6. 0secs. Power builds inside a smooth, free revving fashion with no hint of turbocharger lag right coming from the idle onwards. Work it hard and additionally revs happily to 7000rpm, although like most contemporary direct injection engines there’s a distinct insufficient engine braking on the trailing throttle ; the engine’s powerful electronics package ensures maximum coasting potential is achieved by allowing the revs to fall away. Should I buy one? In combination with BMW’s familiar EfficientDynamics features – brake energy recuperation, standard stop / start and an on-demand water pump, it leads to a 16 per cent improvement in combined cycle consumption during the old six. CO2 emissions will also be cut by 36g / km in manual guise. Efficient, then. But almost as entertaining. BMW X1 xDrive 28iPrice : tba ; Top Speed : 149mph ; 0-62mph : 6. 1sec ; Economy : 35. 8mpg ; CO2 : 183g / km ; Kerb weight : 1580kg ; Engine : 4 cyls in-line, 1997cc turbocharged, petrol ; Power : 242bhp at 5000rpm ; Torque : 258lb ft at 1250rpm ; Gearbox : 6-speed manual BMW X1 xDrive 28i