Paris: Mini Crossman and BMW X1
Paris debut for two small SUVs which go hand in hand
Two small soft-roaders debut at Paris, getting their first public unveils at the French motor show. Some of their development has been joint, due to Mini's BMW-stewardship, although the two would struggle to look more different.
The BMW X1 is best described as an X3-lite, which itself is an X5-lite. In fact, the X1 is barely smaller than the X3 - with an estimated £25k to match. Looks are inspired by the all-new 7-series, signaling a new, less controversial direction for BMW styling. Expect the company's Efficient Dynamics to be used to full effect, though, making the X1 one of the greenest SUVs on sale.
The Mini Crossman (or Crossover Concept, seeing as this isn't production-spec yet) should be just as environmentally-aware, but with a completely different style. Think of it as a jumped-up Clubman, with the desirable high-riding view and chunky body of a 4x4 without any of the black looks or parking woes. It is noticeably the biggest Mini yet, measuring in at around the size of a Focus. Now is the right time to launch the Crossman, too, with Mini sales bucking the downturn in the economy with further rises.
Interestingly, the much-lauded Clubman makes up for a fifth of the brand's sales now - giving a good forecast for the fortunes of the Crossman, when the production version hits the streets in 2010. Expect the usual 1.6-litre Cooper and Cooper S petrol versions, as well as the Cooper D, which should get a lot of the sales.
