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BMW X1 Delayed Until Fall

14K views 36 replies 16 participants last post by  tagheuer 
#1 ·
No surprise really, but in case you didn't hear...

Here***8217;s one tidbit we picked up at the 2011 Detroit auto show: BMW has decided to delay the U.S.-market introduction of the X1 crossover until the fall of this year; the X1***8217;s rollout was originally planned for early 2011. Evidently, the Leipzig, Germany, production plant in which the X1 is built (alongside the 1-series) can barely make enough of them for the European market, and to add the considerable demand of the U.S. market to the production fray is not possible at this point.

How long will we wait for the X1? ***8220;Until fall of ***8217;11 at the absolute earliest,***8221; according to BMW spokesman Tom Plucinsky. If you really can***8217;t wait to take a test drive in one, and live somewhere near the Canadian border, the X1 will be in showrooms there early this year as scheduled, according to Plucinsky.
Waiting for the 1: BMW X1 Delayed Until Fall

Follow our full E84 X1 coverage at http://www.bimmerfest.com/tag/X1
 
#2 ·
X1 deliveries to US delayed

Commiserations to those in the US having to wait for X1 availability. I drive one since one month now living in the UK, and it has served me well. As it happens we experienced unusual amounts of snow and frost which gave me ample chance to test the 4 wheel drive features. Performed very well. Thumbs up!
 
#4 ·
Too bad about the delay...
 
#5 ·
As its really good selling in rest the world, they will come late, just like X6 in China, 6 mth waiting list.....
 
#6 ·
BMW NA is not interested in selling the X1 in the US, obviously. Probably not well-suited for American tastes. So continuously delaying the release here doesn't matter, since 99,9% of US drivers don't even know it exists.

Keep it up BMW. That way I won't feel bad switching to a VW Golf.
 
#7 ·
Quite the contrary. They didn't expect the demand from Europe. There was so much domestic demand that they didn't have the capacity of exporting any. The market for CUV, especially the small ones has been incredibly strong in the united states. Personally, I don't get these things. A Golf seems much more sensible and efficient to me. Why do you need ground clearance unless you live in the mountains or on a farm?
 
#8 ·
The answer to that question is really simple. I need the AWD drive capabilities to get through the typical suburban New York winter. While I don't live in the mountains, I have to travel over interstates, hilly and twisty local roads on my daily 100 mile commute. These roads may, or may not be plowed. After years of driving RWD and FWD cars, I now view AWD as a necessity. For example, during a storm last year, I had to use my X3 to pull my wife's FWD car (with snow tires) over a snow covered incline near our home - just so it could be parked in a safe spot until the roads were cleared.

As for the body style - sedans just don't have the versatility. Large SUVs are too cumbersome and inefficient, and most compact hatchbacks are just too compact. Toss in the need to have something fun to drive during the other three season, and our love of a manual transmission, the number of cars that fit the bill becomes very small. Thus we wait for the X1, hoping it will be a suitable replacement for a remarkably versatile, mechanically reliable, bright metallic red, manual transmission, 2001 PT cruiser with 260,000 miles.

Oh, by the way, while driving near BMW's northern NJ headquarters today, I saw a X1 on the road. I could only manage on photo, but it looked sleek from the side.
 

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#19 ·
Out in Dubai for about 3 weeks, saw this a few days ago.
 

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#20 ·
Just put in my order for a Mini Countryman when my X3 lease ends in June. Not going to wait for an X1 I may not like and probably won't come with a manual the way BMW is going. I like a car with some quirkiness -- it's fun to drive -- and while I wish the seating position was a little higher it's not all that important as having another AWD manual SUV for Chicago's winters.
>>Brent
 
#23 ·
No one has mentioned that they may be delaying the X1 so as not to cut into X3 sales. There is a huge marketing push on the X3 and the demo they are marketing to could be easily confused and spend less grabbing the X1.

Really dissappointed in the new X3. A lot of hype with little return.
 
#24 ·
Well, it seems to be selling pretty well- it outsold the X5 and X6 combined. And probably due to manufacturing or logistics hiccups, the waiting period is out the door and around the block as well.
 
#26 ·
That's because the X3 is like the 3 series...it's cheap enough that people can afford to get the BMW badge but it's the bottom of the barrel car. I compared newer X3's to our 01 X5 and the X3 was terribly cheap feeling inside, there is no getting around that. Not to mention the X3's headlights (particularily how the marker lights look added on since they're not even the same size) look terrible. The X1 on the otherhand looked quite nice and almost felt as big (w/o the ground clearance climbing in) of my X5.
 

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#27 ·
Rule #1 when designing a car for the NA market: Water everything down then bundle it for simplicity's sake. The X3 and X5 are targeted squarely at the US, since we continue to have a love affair with large cars and a high seating position. The X1 came out years ago with Europe in mind. And since Canadians have better taste and the market tends to lean more towards the European side of things, it makes sense for the X1 to come out there first.
 
#28 ·
The X3 and X5 are targeted squarely at the US, since we continue to have a love affair with large cars and a high seating position.
Perfect description of my wife.. When her lease is up in October, she wants the new X3... Not interested in anything that looks like a wagon, to her... has to be an SUV...

Gave up on fighting it... she gets what she wants.. the new X3 is it... X1 need not apply..
 
#31 ·
Autoblog Report: BMW X1 won't go on sale in U.S. until late 2012

The BMW X1 compact crossover went on sale in Europe in November 2009, and ever since its launch, we've heard plenty of reports about the CUV's on-sale date being pushed back here in the United States. The X1 is in very high demand in Europe, and limited supplies are what's causing the crossover's launch here in the U.S. to be delayed. Automotive News now reports that the X1 will not arrive on our shores until the end of 2012. BMW had initially planned to launch the X1 in the U.S. earlier this year.
Another key factor for the X1's late arrival in the U.S. is strong early demand for the larger X3 crossover, which received a complete overhaul for the 2011 model year. BMW sold 5,710 X3s in the first quarter of 2011, compared to 1,355 units in Q1 2010. Even with its delay here in the U.S., the X1 is still scheduled to arrive at Canadian dealerships in the very near future.
 
#32 ·
Nice Photos. I just finished reading the Roundel for March (catching up) and the BMW "Spokesman" was quoted as saying it was coming to the USA this fall. :dunno:

Cheers
 
#33 ·
"Another key factor for the X1's late arrival in the U.S. is strong early demand for the larger X3 crossover, which received a complete overhaul for the 2011 model year."

That sounds awfully close to we don't want to ruin our sales by introducing a cheaper competitor, hmm
 
#34 ·
That sounds awfully close to we don't want to ruin our sales by introducing a cheaper competitor, hmm
Which goes back to my hypothesis: BMW just isn't interested in selling an X1 in the states.
 
#36 ·
I saw one in Vancouver BC this weekend, and it confirmed to me that this will be my next BMW. That is, if it comes with a manual transmission in the US. It's really the perfect size for a city, but with enough ground clearance and AWD to reach my favorite trailheads in the Cascades mountains. It's definitely not surprising that worldwide demand is causing BMW to hit production capacity. This looks to be a great BMW. This is going to be wildly popular in the US when it eventually arrives. I know so many urban yuppies with outdoor hobbies who are already drooling over this car.

-James
Seattle, WA
 
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