BMW India has made yet another bold move, this time by launching a long wheelbase version of its compact SUV, the X1. The X1 LWB has been priced at ₹50 lakh ex-showroom. Interestingly though, the X1 LWB is being offered only in petrol guise, for now, called the sDrive18Li, while the standard wheelbase will continue to be offered with petrol and diesel engines both.
The X1 LWB is 116mm longer, given its overall length of 4,616mm, while its wheelbase is up by 108mm as compared to the standard X1. The LWB is also 11mm taller at 1,641mm, though the SUV’s width remains unchanged. The LWB also looks identical to the standard wheelbase X1, with the same kidney grille and sleek-looking headlamps, the same 18-inch alloys and sporty-looking spoiler at the rear along with the same tail lamps. The X1 LWB also gets an M Sport kit as standard to complete the sporty look.
The 2025 Auto Expo had BMW India create a splash with the launch of its iX1 LWB electric SUV, which was priced at a very aggressive ex-showroom price of ₹49 lakh, and was quick to become a hot-seller for BMW given its combination of excellent space in the second row, aggressive pricing and of course, its performance and range per charge. The long wheelbase X1 is a follow-up act to the iX1 LWB and gives BMW an edge over direct rivals yet again, especially compact luxury SUVs like the Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA 200.
Powering the X1 LWB is the same 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine as the standard X1. It offers 156PS (up by 20PS as compared to the standard X1) here though, along with 230Nm, sent to the front wheels via 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. BMW has also made improvements to the suspension to enhance ride and handling both. The interiors remain unchanged too, as you get the same 10.7-inch touchscreen, 10.2-inch driver display, 12-speaker Harman Kardon music system, 360-degree view, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, wireless charging, auto park assist, ADAS, a digital key and key card and more. The roof is a fixed panoramic glass pane though, and cannot be opened. Effectively the BMW X1 LWB isn’t just the most spacious compact luxury SUV now, especially when it comes to the second row, it’s also one of the most feature-rich ones on sale currently.
