BMW will unveil its X1 ‘concept’ – which looks all but production ready – at the Paris motor show on Thursday.
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“BMW is offering an outlook at the world’s first sports activity vehicle in the premium compact segment,” the automaker said.
The new SUV will be assembled in Graz, Austria, by Magna Steyr and BMW said production should start within a year.
Magna Steyr confirmed earlier it would also build a similar model for BMW’s Mini brand on the same platform.
The current, larger BMW X3 is made in Graz but the next generation of that car will be built alongside the X5 and X6 at the automaker’s plant in the US.
BMW said on Wednesday that the X1 is built on a new platform derived from that of the 1-series hatchback/coupe/convertible model line and will come with 120i (170bhp) and 130i (265bhp) petrol engines, 120d (177bhp) and 123d (204bhp) diesels and ‘xDrive’ four-wheel-drive.
The closely-related Mini Crossman (same underpinnings, different engines) will also be unveiled in Paris.
At 4,457mm (175.5in) long, the X1 is 108mm (4.3in) shorter than the X3. Wheelbase is 2,760mm (104.4in).
