BMW X1 LWB And i5 LWB Arrive: First Look, Features And Booking Details

There was a time when buying a BMW meant you wanted to drive it. That was the entire point. You sat behind the wheel, pressed the accelerator and enjoyed the engineering while everyone else wondered why you were smiling so much. But then the luxury car market changed. Suddenly, the person sitting in the back became just as important as the person holding the steering wheel. BMW has clearly noticed. Its latest Indian launches, the X1 Long Wheelbase and i5 Long Wheelbase, are effectively two different answers to the same question: how do you make a BMW considerably more appealing to someone who would rather be driven? One stretches the compact X1 into something resembling a junior executive SUV, while the other takes the already substantial 5 Series and turns it into a long wheelbase electric limousine. And because this is BMW, neither has forgotten that somewhere underneath all the leather, screens and legroom there should still be a machine capable of entertaining the person in the front.

BMW X1 Long Wheelbase

The new BMW X1 LWB is not merely an X1 with a few extra millimetres thrown into the boot. BMW has added 108mm to the wheelbase, taking it to 2,800mm, while the SUV measures 4,616mm long, 2,104mm wide and 1,641mm tall. The result is a vehicle BMW describes as the longest in its segment, and the extra length has been used almost entirely where Indian passengers will notice it most: the rear. Legroom increases by 150mm, kneeroom by 109mm and the rear seats gain extended cushioning by 15mm. They can also recline to 28.5 degrees. In other words, the person in the back has suddenly become rather important.

Outside, the X1 LWB retains the familiar BMW visual recipe, with its kidney grille, Adaptive LED headlights, sculpted bodywork, Aluminium Satinated roof rails, square wheel arches and 18 inch M light alloy wheels. The rear receives 3D sculpted LED lights and a large diffuser, giving the stretched SUV enough visual muscle to ensure nobody mistakes it for a minivan that has wandered into the wrong showroom.  Inside, BMW has gone considerably further than simply adding legroom. The cabin features electrically adjustable Sport Seats, a Widescreen Curved Display, Aluminium Mesh effect trim, a Luxury Instrument Panel, ambient lighting, Pearl chrome detailing and an M Sport steering wheel.

There is also a floating armrest with integrated controls and a vertically stacked wireless charging system. For those who believe a car should sound like a concert hall, there is a Harman Kardon system with 12 speakers and 205 watts of output. Then there is the panoramic sunroof. At nine square feet, BMW says it is the largest in the segment, which means passengers can now stare at the sky while being driven somewhere they probably cannot afford to complain about traffic. Boot space stands at 540 litres and expands to 1,700 litres with the rear seats folded.

Power comes from a 1.5 litre BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine producing 156hp and 230Nm between 1,500 and 4,600rpm. It is paired with a seven speed Steptronic transmission featuring dual clutch technology and sends its power to the front wheels. BMW claims fuel efficiency of 15.5km/l, while 50:50 weight distribution and specially tuned Comfort suspension are intended to preserve the handling balance while improving ride quality over India’s less than perfect roads. The technology list is predictably enormous. BMW Operating System 9 brings voice and touch controls, QuickSelect allows direct access to functions, and Remote Software Upgrades keep the vehicle updated over the air. BMW Digital Premium adds enhanced navigation, traffic visualisation, trip suggestions, welcome animations and additional My Modes.

And then there is BMW Digital Key Plus. Your compatible smartphone or smartwatch can become the car key, allowing you to lock, unlock, start and drive the X1. The key can even be shared with up to 18 users. Comfort Access 2.0 can unlock the car without requiring you to tap the device against the door handle. Because apparently the greatest remaining inconvenience in modern motoring was having to touch your phone to your car. Parking is equally clever. Parking Assistant, a rear view camera and optional Parking Assistant Plus with 360 degree surround view help with tight spaces, while the Reversing Assistant remembers the last 50 metres and can automatically reverse the car along precisely the same route. It is the sort of technology that makes you wonder why cars were ever allowed to have steering wheels in the first place.

Safety equipment includes Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Assistant, Cruise Control with Braking Function, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Protection and an Attentiveness Assistant, alongside eight airbags and BMW’s suite of stability and braking systems. The X1 LWB therefore manages to perform a rather clever trick. It remains compact enough to be useful in the city, but the stretched wheelbase gives it the sort of rear seat space that would previously have required something considerably larger. BMW has essentially taken the idea of a chauffeur friendly luxury SUV and squeezed it into a much more manageable package.

Also Read: BMW Introduces The New X5 With Multiple Powertrain Options

BMW i5 Long Wheelbase

If the X1 LWB is BMW’s attempt to make the compact luxury SUV more accommodating, the i5 LWB is the company’s much bigger swing at the executive luxury market. BMW describes it as the only long wheelbase all electric sedan in its segment, while its 5,175mm length, 2,156mm width, 1,520mm height and 3,105mm wheelbase make it the largest and longest sedan in its segment.

And because this is an electric BMW, the numbers get interesting rather quickly. The i5 LWB produces 268hp and accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds. Its 81.6kWh battery delivers a claimed range of up to 669km under MIDC testing. BMW has also equipped it with adaptive rear axle air suspension and increased ground clearance, both of which are particularly useful when dealing with the peculiar combination of luxury cars and Indian roads.

But the real story is, once again, the back seat. The 3,105mm wheelbase creates an expansive rear cabin designed around passengers who have presumably decided that driving themselves is now somebody else’s problem. The i5 LWB combines that space with the refinement and quietness inherent to an electric powertrain, making it a rather compelling proposition for the executive who wants the traditional luxury sedan experience without the traditional petrol engine underneath it.

BMW is also introducing an exclusive i5 LWB First Edition, limited to just 99 customers. It receives a dedicated rear seat entertainment package with a tablet and holder, BMW Individual Silver Bronze accents, Fineline open pore fine wood trim, Silver Bronze inlays and a First Edition laser engraving. Outside, Carbon Black Metallic is paired with Titanium Bronze accents. The i5 LWB is also significant for another reason. It will be locally produced at BMW Group Plant Chennai, making it BMW India’s first locally produced electric sedan and the second locally produced electric BMW in the country.

So, BMW has effectively attacked the Indian luxury market from two completely different directions. The X1 LWB takes a compact SUV and gives it rear seat ambitions, while the i5 LWB takes the executive sedan and gives it an electric future. The message is rather obvious.
BMW still wants you to enjoy driving, but it has finally accepted that sometimes, particularly in India, the most luxurious thing a BMW can give you is the freedom not to drive it at all.