BMW's nipped-and-tucked X1 has landed in South Africa - a couple of weeks later than originally promised - but we think you'll forgive the Blue Propeller Boykies for that when you get an idea of just how spoiled for choice customers will be with the latest compact crossover from Bavaria.
There are five engines - all but one mated either to a manual or an auto transmission. Two of the five are available with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive - that's seven derivatives of just the basic model.
Each of the seven can also be ordered with either Sport Line, xLine or M Sport Line trim package; that means X1 customers have a choice of 52 (yes, Cyril, fifty-two) X1 derivatives - and that's before you reach for the options book!
As with other BMW offerings such as the Mini, it's unlikely that any two X1's in South Africa will ever be identical.
THE X FACTOR
Styling changes, both inside and out, are very mild, mostly aimed at making Munich's baby SUV look more like its bigger siblings the X3 and X5. There a new front apron with more painted area and less black plastic, new headlights with LED accent lights and LED light rings for the LED daytime running lights (in conjunction with optional xenon lights), new foglight bezels, narrower plastic trims on the lower edge of the body, side indicators in the mirrors housings and new rear plastics, also with more painted area, and a more prominent underguard.
Inside, you'll find upgraded trim, fancier materials and a new centre stack more clearly orientated towards the driver, as in an Italian sports car.
NUTS AND BOLTS
The X1 line-up starts with the rear-wheel drive sDrive18i, a naturally-aspirated 1995cc four, rated for 110kW at a revvy 6400rpm and 200Nm at 3600rpm. Standard kit is either a six-speed manual or a six-speed auto tranny, 0-100 is quoted at 9.7 seconds (10.4 for the self-shifter), terminal velocity is 202 (200) km/h, combined fuel consumption 7.7 (7.9) litres per 100km, and CO2 emissions are pegged at 180 (185) g/km.
Next up is the two-litre 20d turbodiesel, delivering 135kW at 4000rpm and 380Nm from 1750-2750rpm, with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed, dry-sump auto transmission.
It's available as either the rear-wheel drive sDrive20d - 0-100 in 7.8(7.9), 220 (218) km/h flat out, 4.9 (5.0) litres per 100km and 129 (135)g/km of CO2 - or the all-wheel drive xDrive20d in which case the figures are 0-100 in 7.8(7.9), 220 (218) km/h flat out, 4.9 (5.0) litres per 100km and 129 (135)g/km of CO2.
The two-litre turbopetrol 20i is also listed at either the rear-wheel drive sDrive20i or the all-wheel drive xDrive20i. Either way it kicks out 135kW at 6250rpm and 270Nm from 1250-4500rpm.
With the six-speed manual, 0-100 takes 7.4 seconds, 205km/h is top whack, fuel consumption 6.9 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions 162g/km. The eight-speed auto version needs 7.7 seconds to hit 100, tops out a the same 205km/h but uses only 6.7 litres per 100km and emits 157g/km of CO2.
Top-dog diesel is the new xDrive25d, replacing the old 23d with vital statistics of 160kW at 4000rpm and 450Nm from 1500-2500rpm. It comes only in all-wheel-drive, auto-transmission format, winds up to 100 in 6.8 seconds, hits 228km/h flat out, burns 5.5 litres per 100km and burps 145g/km of CO2.
But the one for the power freaks is the xDrive28i - not, as you'd expect a straight six, but another two-litre turbopetrol four, this one tuned for 180kW from 5000-6500rpm and 350Nm from 1250-4800rpm.
Only in all-wheel drive, it'll take the X1 from 0-100 in 6.1 seconds (auto 6.5) and on to 240km/h. Fuel consumption is quoted as 7.7(7.2) litres per 100km and flatulence at 179 (168) g/km.
PRICES
sDrive18i - R342 400
sDrive18i a/t - R359 000
sDrive20i - R365 700
sDrive20i a/t - R383 700
sDrive20d - R381 300
sDrive20d a/t - R399 300
xDrive20i - R411 600
xDrive20i a/t - R429 600
xDrive20d - R427 200
xDrive20d a/t - R445 200
xDrive25d a/t - R468 600
xDrive28i - R458 600
xDrive28i a/t - R476 600