Spied: 2016 BMW X1 goes front-drive

Our spy photographers have tracked down BMW’s next-generation X1 utility vehicle undergoing shakedown testing in Germany. It’s believed that BMW is prepping the new X1 for a 2016 market launch.

Although the X1 may seem like a new product to United States buyers, the current generation of the compact utility vehicle has actually been on sale for a few years in other world markets. As such, the fresh-to-us X1 will be replaced by an all-new model in just a couple of years.

The biggest change for the next X1 will be its switch from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive. Of course all-wheel drive will still be offered.

In the name of efficiency and packaging, BMW will shift the X1 from its current 1- and 3-Series roots to a new front-wheel drive architecture that will underpin the upcoming 1-Series and MINI range. The X1′s FWD layout should net both higher MPGs and more cargo and passenger room.

What’s under the X1′s hood is still a bit of a mystery, but the SUV could employ a new three-cylinder now under development at BMW. The X1′s step-up engine will more than likely be a turbocharged four-cylinder.

The new BMW X1 is expected to launch in 2016, but it’s possible the SUV might not arrive in the U.S. until a later date.

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