New York motor show 2012: BMW X1 facelift

The facelifted BMW X1 has been shown at today's New York motor show. The revisions come just two and half years after its entry level SUV was first revealed in production guise.

The strong selling X1 receives a host of subtle exterior styling tweaks in a move that rids it of cheap looking black plastic cladding and attempts to provide it with a more up-market appearance.

Gallery: facelifted BMW X1

Changes include the adoption of a more heavily contoured front bumper with an altered grille featuring silver slats, more pronounced sockets for the round fog lamps and a completely redesigned lower section finished with a silver section that aims to lighten the assembly visually.

The headlamps retain the same familiar shape as those used on the existing X1 but receive new internal graphics, including LED corona ring main beam lights as part of an optional xenon package. Further back, there are reshaped exterior mirror housings carrying side repeater lights and more defined sills underneath the doors.

The rear receives a restyled bumper, which like that up front has been lightened visually by the adoption of more body coloured surfaces and a larger silver scrub plate element.

Inside, the X1 adopts a lightly reworked centre console, high gloss air vents and a new range of optional trim elements.

BMW will use the facelifted X1 to enter the North American market with its junior off-roader. Two models are planned for US sale: a rear-wheel drive X1 xDrive28i running a 245bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder engine and a four-wheel drive X1 xDrive35i with a 306bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder powerplant.

The facelifted X1 is planned to go on sale in the UK in May.

Greg Kable

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