M Sport Package comes to the BMW X1

The X1 compact crossover is getting a lot of attention lately from BMW. Following the addition of the firm's new 2.0-liter turbo engine to the range, the Bavarian company officially announced the launch of an M Sport package for smallest member of the X family. The M Sport specification comprises suspension, exterior and interior components specially developed for the X1.

In detail, the package adds 17-inch star-spoke M alloy wheels or optionally, 18-inch rims, sports suspension calibration, an M Aerodynamics package with unique bumpers and side skirts, door sills with the “M” logo and BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line trim for the side window surrounds and roof rails.

Also available in conjunction with the M Sports package are the metallic exterior paint colours Alpine White, Le Mans Blue, Sapphire Black, Space Grey, Vermillion Red and Mineral White.

Inside, X1 gets sports seats upholstered in cloth/alcantara, an M leather-trimmed steering wheel with multifunction buttons and an M footrest for the driver capped off by an anthracite liner, dark cross-brushed aluminium trim, plus the M gearshift lever for vehicles with six-speed manual gearbox and a leather handbrake lever gaiter.

In the UK, prices start at £26,615 OTR for the X1 18d sDrive M Sport and £27,710 for 18d xDrive M Sport.

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BMW Officially Confirms 2.0-Liter Turbo for Z4 and 5-Series

Earlier this week, BMW unveiled its new 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine which will effectively replace the firm's classic, naturally aspirated straight-six. The force-fed four banger made its debut on the X1 compact crossover, but today, the Bavarian automaker officially confirmed that the new engine will be available in other models "such as the BMW Z4 and 5 Series in due course." While BMW did not give out a launch date, expect to see both models towards the end of the year or early 2012, depending on the market.

In the X1 28xDrive, the new turbocharged twin-scroll engine churns out 245hp and 350Nm torque from just 1,250rpm, with BMW claiming that the four-cylinder unit is lighter and more compact than the equivalent six-cylinder engine, while also returning 16 per cent better fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.

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2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible Photo Shoot from South Africa

If by any chance you still haven't seen the new 6-Series Convertible in the flesh and are not satisfied by the first batch of 133 photos released by the Bavarian automaker last November, BMW has just published an enormous gallery of its soft top cabriolet, photographed in South Africa. The Germans also added a few shots of a 6-Series Individual, which is a special program that provides customers additional bespoke options to reflect their individuality.

As a reminder, there are two engines available for the new 6 Series Convertible at launch. The 640i gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six with 320-horses and 450Nm / 332 lb-ft of peak torque, good enough to propel the four-seater model from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds.

The 650i boasts a 4.4-liter turbo V8 producing 407HP and 600Nm / 443 lb-ft, and completes the standard sprint in 5.0 seconds. Both models have an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

In the USA, BMW will offer the 650i Convertible from this Spring with a starting price of $91,375 (including destination and handling fees).

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