BMW X1 gets a plug-in hybrid powertrain

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SMC ASIA CAR Distributors Corp., the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, recently introduced the new BMW X1 xDrive25e M Sport, priced at P3.998 million, through a selling display at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall. Significantly, this is the first time for the compact crossover to come with a plug-in hybrid powertrain — joining the brand’s lineup of electrified models here — and will be the sole motivator for the X1 nameplate moving forward.

In a release, BMW in the Philippines said the arrival of the X1 PHEV is another expression of its “Power of Choice” strategy which provides customers with “the flexibility of both a combustion engine and an electric motor.”

The system submits a total output of 245hp and 477Nm of torque translating to, among others, a standstill-to-100kph time of 6.8 seconds. Electric range is 101 kilometers, enabled by BMW’s fourth-generation battery technology in the X1. The company said this makes it “ideal for daily urban commutes.” Combined with the internal combustion engine (a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder gasoline sipper) range, the X1 can muster up to 764 kilometers.

For now, the X1 PHEV will come in a single M Sport variant, with another one (the X1 xDrive25e xLine) to arrive in “mid-March,” according to a source. That xLine variant is expected to be priced at P3.498 million.

The M Sport gets design accents including an M Aerodynamics package, high-gloss Shadowline trim, and M light-alloy wheels. Aboard is the newest BMW Widescreen Display with iDrive Operating System 9 for “seamless connectivity and intuitive control.” Sport seats are wrapped in M Alcantara/Veganza, and content will find expression through a high-fidelity Harman Kardon loudspeaker system.

The model also comes with BMW ConnectedDrive. Said to be a first in the country, an “integrated data SIM card enables BMW Live Maps with real-time traffic information and route calculation.”

The new BMW X1 xDrive25e M Sport is available in “a limited introductory quantity” with six color choices: Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Space Silver Metallic, M Portimão Blue Metallic, Cape York Green Metallic, and Fire Red Metallic.

For more information, visit www.bmw.com.ph or any authorized BMW dealership nationwide. — Kap Maceda Aguila