The updated BMW X1 small SUV has been spied sporting the brand’s latest ‘Neue Klasse’ styling cues ahead of its expected showroom arrival in 2027, when it will take on the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Audi Q3.
The images show a heavily camouflaged version of the next X1 flagship, set to be badged either M35 or M40 given BMW doesn’t offer an ‘X1 M’, with the new model expected to be a heavily revised version of the current third-generation X1 introduced in 2022.
BMW’s smallest SUV is expected to adopt exterior styling inspired by the brand’s Neue Klasse models, including the iX3 electric SUV – due in Australian showrooms this month – and the upcoming i3 electric sedan.
That means the X1, currently BMW’s second-best-selling model in Australia behind the X3, is expected to feature narrower kidney grilles, more neatly integrated headlights and slim tail lights.
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It also previews the updated X2, which is effectively identical apart from its swoopier roofline and is expected to launch at around the same time.
The spied X1 gives away its identity as the flagship performance model through larger alloy wheels revealing blue brake calipers – a feature of the current X1 M35i sold in Australia – as well as chunkier bumpers and side skirts.
A set of four exhaust outlets is prominent at the rear, further highlighting its performance credentials, while the images also reveal a sportier stance and wider tyres.
Inside, the cabin could follow the lead of the iX3 and models such as the new 7 Series, which is not a Neue Klasse model but adopts styling and technology from BMW’s next-generation vehicles.
This includes BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive system, which includes a screen spanning the full width of the windscreen and is powered by a more capable processor for faster responses.
BMW is yet to reveal powertrain details for the updated X1 and X2, though both are expected to use updated versions of the current engine range.
The X1 M35i xDrive currently sold in Australia is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, codenamed B48, producing 221kW of power and 400Nm of torque and driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
It’s currently priced from $93,900 before on-road costs, positioning it between the Audi Q3 TFSI 195kW quattro at $84,400 before on-road costs and the Mercedes-AMG GLA35 at $99,900 before on-road costs.
The updated M35i is expected to remain the most expensive member of the X1 lineup, which has recently been expanded in Australia.
For 2026, both the X1 and X2 gained new xDrive25e PHEV variants – the first time plug-in hybrid technology has been offered in either vehicle here – while the X1 sDrive18i has been replaced as the entry-level variant by the sDrive20i.
MORE: Explore the BMW X1 showroom
