BMW X2 three-cylinder, diesel variants landing mid-year

Khodrocar - BMW will follow the X2 sDrive 20i, set to launch in March, with the all-wheel drive xDrive 20d and front-drive, three-cylinder sDrive 18i in the coming months.

The extra variants are set to land ‘mid-year’, with pricing still to be confirmed. As a guide, the X2 sDrive 20i is $1300 more expensive than the equivalent X1, and BMW has said a similar pricing gap will carry through the range.

Based on that logic, the base sDrive18i should cost around $47,200. Power comes from a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine making 100kW and 220Nm of torque. Although it’s offered with a manual in Europe, all signs point to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission being the only local option.

Final specifications haven’t been confirmed, but base European models ride on 17-inch wheels, and go without M Sport or M Sport X exterior packages. Lenore Fletcher, communications boss for BMW Australia, didn’t confirm whether local cars would run with the same look, but said the company is chasing a "very affordable price” for the 18i. Read into that what you will.

The X2 xDrive20d turbo-diesel will sit atop the range for the foreseeable future, with 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque being put to the road through an xDrive all-wheel drive system. Unlike the three-cylinder, it’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment will match that of the sDrive 20i. That means city-speed autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and speed limit information will be standard. A 6.5-inch touchscreen running iDrive 6 with satellite navigation and 5.7-inch driver display are also included, as is a 40:20:40 split-folding second row.

Based on its experience with the X1 and X3, BMW is expecting the more expensive 20d and 20i models to make up the majority of sales.

"One of the things we’ve seen at the moment, particularly if you look at the X3, is that our two mid-models – the 20i and the 20i – with the specification levels that we have on them… they’re becoming our strongest sellers,” Fletcher told CarAdvice, speaking at the Bathurst 12 Hour.

Fletcher also said the car has been popular among younger buyers, and is helping attract more women to the brand.

"A lot of people are very strong on fashion and style, as well as performance, and the X2 will bring that to us,” she said. "We’ve actually been finding stronger and stronger female uptake of our products, and we are also seeing – particularly with X1 and X2 a younger audience.

"We like to call them younger, or young at heart. We’re seeing a younger, and certainly more female-oriented mix.”

Source: Car Advice