BMW have been quick to recognise the SUV market potential and have now targeted the heart of the segment by launching their smallest SUV , the X1. BMW already have the X6 , X5 and X3 in the country , which have been received well. The Bavarian auto giant has introduced the X1 in three versions – the sDrive18i , which has a two-litre petrol , 152 PS , 200 Nm mill; the sDrive20d in two variants , a stripped down base and the Exclusive with all the bells and whistles. We got our hands on the latter and bring you this exclusive road test.

Assembled and rolled out of BMW’s plant the X1 is a CKD (completely knocked down) and it will be available only in the sDrive , that is , the two-wheel drive or rear wheel drive option. We hope the company also launches the xDrive for those looking for 4x4 capability. You can now have an SUV with premium BMW characteristics from just Rs 22 lakh onwards (ex-showroom , New Delhi). The price is at par with other soft-roaders and off-roaders such as the Honda CR-V , Chevrolet Captiva , Hyundai Santa Fé , Toyta Fortuner and Ford Endeavour et al. Yikes! The intention is clear; thrill the buyers with the German marque and kill competition with a killer price. So far as homeland rivals are concerned , BMW won’t have any competition until Audi decide to bring in the compact Q3 or , maybe , until the advent of the Range Rover Evoque.

Visually , the X1 stays true to the Concept X1 unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2008. It has bits and pieces from its siblings like the 5Series GT and 1-Series with whom it shares its platform. The baby SUV is the last BMW to carry the Chris Bangle design and has a typical kidney grille , contoured bonnet , deep wheel arches and GT inspired tail-lights. There is no split boot lid , something One would want in an SUV. Overall , it looks long rather than tall , unlike most others in this segment. You get 17-inch run-flat shrouds with star-spoke style alloys on the Executive variant , but no spare wheel. The variant also has a panorama glass sunroof to brighten your journey. The external RVM seem large and too close for liking. The matte aluminium skirts on the front bumper and similar aluminium roof rails add a sporty touch. Which is why it does not have an aggressive posture nor does it look intimidating. Having said that , the X1 is taller and bigger than the sedans and though the design looks familiar , it’s the unusual size that attracts attention. So long as the limelight is on you , there won’t be any cause for complaint.

If you have ever sat in any of the current BMW cars , than you will instantly identify the interior with the German company. The fit and finish justify the premium tag. Overlaid with plush soft-feel plastic , Nevada leather and wood trims , the cabin raises the segment benchmark. The dashboard design is clean and the layout elegant. The 8.8-inch display sits in the middle of the dash , tilted towards the driver for better visibility. The three-spoke steering is compact and sporty , like the SUV; has controls for the infotainment system and can be adjusted for reach and tilt. There are plenty of cubbyholes , a sliding front armrest with storage compartment , the RVMs have auto anti-dazzle function and you also get a rain sensor. BMW have thrown in a new gear knob and the iDrive is conveniently placed below it. The driving position is in between regular sedans and full-fledged SUV and seems even lower than some soft-roaders. The seats can be electrically adjusted and also have four-way adjustable lumbar support. The rear seats are flat and firm and the backrest adjustable. The rear seat would be apt for two occupants , but a third one can also be accommodated , albeit with some difficulty. They split and fold individually in 40:20:40 ratio. The boot seems small and has a capacity of 420 litres , which is less than what the 3-Series offers. However , it can be increased to 1 , 350 litres by folding the seats.

The X1 sDrive20d is powered by a two-litre diesel engine that spins smoothly and is well engineered , which , by the way , also does the duty on the 3-Series’ corporate edition 320d. The specs also remain unchanged at 180 PS of peak power at an engine speed of 4 , 000 rpm and a healthy torque of 350 Nm that begins from 1 , 750 rpm. There is enough flow of torque to keep you going , be it a highway or a steep climb. The six-speed automatic is beautiful but strains under the extra kerb-weight of the SUV shell. The hydraulic-assisted steering feels heavy at low speeds , but tends to lighten up a mite at speed. It remains accurate with good feedback , as expected of a BMW. It’s like driving a taller 3-Series. You can throw the X1 round sharp corners with ease as there is very little body-roll and no slack in the power supply. The suspension setting is stiff , again a BMW trait , and at lower speeds larger bumps hit you hard. As you increase speed the ride improves and can take large ditches in its stride. While driving over a bad patch of road at an unrecommended speed , there was some body noise , probably from the outer-RVMs. On the whole , the ride is enthusiastic with a fair degree of poise.

An interesting feature of the baby BMW is its dynamic traction control (DTC). Off-roading requires very light toes and fast reflexes. Sometime a slightly increased wheel slip and light drifts can be an advantage in certain situations. The DTC does just that and is an addition to dynamic stability control (DSC) and optimises excess power and enables a more sporting driving style. The SUV becomes a little more tolerant for wheel slip and also facilitates initial acceleration on loose surfaces such as sand , gravel or snow. The DSC takes a back-seat and intervenes only when absolutely necessary. If you have your insurance in place , then you can completely switched off the DSC and have some fun mud-slinging your way through slush and grime.

In sum , this is good value for your Rs 29 lakh (ex-showroom for the Executive variant). You get a reasonable off-roader , premium feel with the blue-and-white badge , decent equipments , a great German motor and transmission , even though it might not look like a conventional SUV. So , if you have the budget , don’t think twice!

The royal Bufori La Joya casts a modern-day spell on a vintage-looking coach. We explore this extraordinary piece of Malaysian craftsmanship. What would exclusivity mean to someone who has enough money to buy , say , 100 Nanos , wants to own something that is probably the only One in the town , looks classically vintage yet runs like a modern-day car? If you ask the Indian market , there isn’t an answer so far. The scenario is set to change , though , with Bufori making an entry soon. Based in Malaysia , Bufori is a brand less heard of in the automotive industry and the founder is responsible for this. Gerry Khouri of Australian origin started building cars in his garage , which later turned into a full-time car manufacturing business. However , he preferred to keep both the production and profile low , keeping in mind the promise of exclusivity and top-notch customisation. Today each car that is manufactured by Bufori takes close to 500 man-hours of hand-crafting and that itself tells us how the company’s philosophy is being put into practice.

When Twice Group of Chennai gave me a call and asked me to have a feel of the La Joya , Bufori’s first offering that would land on the Indian shores , i was more than just looking forward to getting into this piece of beauty. Certainly , looking at the pictures doesn’t do justice to the kind of presence this car has on road. It’s huge , but with contours that flow smoothly. The bulbous front wheel arches with headlamps mounted on them , flow downwards as you move towards the rear and suddenly change the line of curve to form the rear arches. The classic old design of the 1930s and ‘40s oozes from every detail of the car. The rear of the car , however , didn’t suit my personal taste with the boot lid sweeping low and elongated. The front bonnet opens like gullwings and , much to one’s surprise , has a tool-kit on one side and a six-CD changer on the other. With a fine stainless steel mesh grille at the front and some more steel laid out on the bumpers , there is no denying this car looks vintage. However , make no mistake , though it looks vintage , the technology and material that go into the making of this car are nothing short of modern. The complete bodywork comes from carbon-kevlar composite material. The engine is a V6 and the driver gets aids like ABS , EBD , airbags and automatic transmission etc. Inside the cabin , there is some confusion with 24-karat gold plated bezels of the clocks lending vintage feel and the four-spoke leather-wood steering wheel , electronic buttons for window panes and seat adjustment and such other bits giving it a modern-day look.

The La Joya engine is encased right behind the seats in a completely soundproof space. The car that I got to drive was the one brought in for homologation purposes and thus came with an outgoing engine , a 2.7-litre V6 borrowed from Hyundai. However , the car that the customers will pay for will be powered by a 3.3-litre V6. A car of vintage looks is not expected to do blisteringly quick zero-to-100 sprints and , hence , instead of concentrating on how fast the two-tonner could gather speed , I was more keen on how well it rode. The suspension is on the softer side as expected and provides a comfortable ride without making it feel like a huge floating boat. The steering was a mite lighter than I expected , but good for manoeuvring within the city.

So , what is the cost of this beautiful piece of automobile craft? The exact tag is yet to be known , but expect an approximate price of Rs 1.5 crore (ex-showroom) for the basic car. Now the question is , apart from a vintage looking car with contemporary technology , what else do you get? Complete customisation is the answer. Once you decide to buy a Bufori , the delivery time is about six months. The first thing the company does after you book your car is take you to their manufacturing facility in Malaysia , where your body measurements are taken for tailor-made customisation of seats and cabin. Thereafter , you are given the option of choosing every bit of the cosmetics – from the leather , its colour , wood inserts to the stitching thread and its pattern , exterior colours , the style of the emblem (you can get one studded with Swarovski crystals too) and what not! You can even put your own signature engraved on a metal plate in the car to mark your exclusive ownership. After that , the car takes about three months to be hand-built. The transport , import and other formalities take some more time before you get the leather-clad key of your own Bufori.

Sounds like a big deal , doesn’t it? It is. The company plans to sell about eight to ten cars to start with in the first year and then grow gradually. Twice Group , the sole distributor for the Bufori cars , promises service backup for the cars across the country. Based on the response for the La Joya , the company will also bring in the Geneva later in 2012 , which is a four-seater , six-litre machine. Until then , let’s wish Bufori the very best for their advent in India!