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Before you start criticizing BMW for daring to put a quad exhaust on a four-cylinder car, let’s take a look at the competition. Audi Sport has been selling the S3 on a four-pot-based and front-wheel-drive platform for years. The Mercedes-AMG “45” also has a small 2.0-liter engine and is derived from the FWD architecture while packing four rounded ends at the rear.
While the M135i hatchback, M235i Gran Coupe, and X2 M35i both feature dual tips, the next-generation X1 will be the first to rock a quad setup. It will also be the first M Performance version of BMW’s smallest crossover, but it won’t necessarily have the most power. The original E84 came with an inline-six that cranked up to 300 hp in the xDrive35i spec. Coincidentally, that’s roughly as much as the current “235i” model.
20 Photo
Looking bigger than the previous model, the next BMW X1 was spotted undergoing last-minute testing in northern Sweden. This performance crossover caught on in a winter wonderland sporting a more mature look than being the ugly duckling of the X lineup. Aside from the look-at-me exhaust, you can tell by the size of the front brakes it’s the spicy version. The production model will sit lower to the road than the regular X1 trim levels and should come with bigger wheels as this is a temporary winter set.
In addition to getting bigger and getting some M-derived goodies, the new X1 will have a fresh door handle design in line with the new 2 Series Coupe and 2 Series Active Tourer. Borrowed from the minivan will also be the iDrive 8 infotainment with a pair of screens sitting next to each other, housed in a single piece of glass.
Like the mentioned compact models from rival brands, the M35i will be sold exclusively with all-wheel drive and most likely an automatic transmission too. It will be built in Leipzig starting later this year, along with the next Mini Countryman – the first time when a factory in Germany brings together cars from different brands within the BMW Group.
Both will be out in late 2022, complete with pure electric versions.
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