Bucket Seat: BMW X2 2.0i

We've spoke about how the whole crossover/ SUV trend is picking up in the motoring market with consumers finding a liking to these raised vehicles. We're not quite sure what sparked the trend but can certainly see what people are opting for these sort of vehicles. Being bigger, they're more spacious than sedans, offering the occupants more room and comfort, I also find with the slightly raised ride height, it gives the driver a better perspective when driving. But as the trend goes, and the market becomes appealing to everyone, manufacturers have to adjust to the demand, not everyone can afford the bigger SUV/ SAV derivatives or while they might one one, they want something a bit more sportier, athletic and versatile, hence BMW came up with the SAC, sports activity coupe. They have in their range the X6 and the X4 but recently introduced the first ever X2 which I got drive around for a bit. While it still falls under the crossover segment, it definitely didn't feel like it as I will explain. 

DESIGN

BMW went with a different approach to designing the X2, it's effectively the more sportier model of the X1 so to get it to appeal to a younger market they've made some daring decisions to the design that had a lot of people talking. Firstly, lets talk about that badge on the side. Personally I don't see a problem with it, it looks quite good and it pays homage to the the CS as it also had the badge in a similar sort of position. Out of curiosity I ran a poll on my Instagram and to my surprise the votes were almost split with people who liked it edging out those who didn't. Other than that the car looks quite attractive to many, I love the edginess, the bi-tone outlines and the sleek sweep effect it has. It almost looks like a hot hatch and has a playfulness demeanor about it. The lights are pretty cool, I'm especially fond of the rear lights which are angled ever so slightly and follows the contours of the body.  The X2 I had came with the M Sport X kit which just adds to the aggression factor and had 5 spoke bi-colour rims. The tail of the car is finished off with the same sporty aggression that transcends from the whole car with tail pipes fitted either side. Overall, a very unique but lovely package from the Germans. 

PERFORMANCE

While I had this car on test, BMW lifted the covers of their range topping M35i X2 which features their most powerful 4 cylinder motor. The 2.0i I had wasn't too shabby either, quick off the blocks even for a chunkier car and what impressed me to the most was the fuel consumption. While we know the figures we see in brochures are done in ideal environments, I was getting quite close to the 6L per 100km as quoted by BMW. the engine produces 141kW with 280Nm of torque which is hot hatch territory. The car handles well, it has good road presence and even with the large rims, give a pretty comfy ride whether it be driving around the burbs or open road driving. 

TECH

The X2 has a similar option list to most of the other BMW's but with it being a basic X1 fit on the inside, there is some limitations. While it does feature the new BMW menu tile configuration I don't think you can add gesture control to the car. Regardless the car I had came with some decent features. Reverse camera with rear front and rear PDC's, HiFi loud speaker system, interior mood lighting with a variety of colours, professional navigation and bluetooth connectivity with Apple Car Play. Still annoys me that BMW hasn't launch the Android Auto App for their cars yet and only certain models offer the Android screen mirror option. The X2 I had came with the LED lights but no high beam assist. 

VERDICT

While judgement on the looks of the car may still be split, I quite like it, its bold, in your face, has that rugged adventure style to it which BMW was going for. The car drives well, it's pretty comfortable for the drive and its passengers. Lots of boot space and light on fuel. The price tag may be a stinger but the quality of product you getting is worth every cent of it. I honestly can see myself driving in an X2 as an every day car. While it slots into that SAC/ crossover segment, it can also do some light off roading and by that I mean gravel roads, lets not try and take it up Sani Pass or anything. The tag line for the X2 is "Be the one who dares" and its evident in the styling, the colour range the overall appeal of the car, and from the few I see on the road so far, it seems there are people who are taking the challenge to be daring. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L TwinPower Turbo 4cy
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic
Power	141kW
Torque	280Nm
0-100	7.7 seconds
Economy	6.0 L/100km
Price	R 577 903*

*base price

  

Bucket Seat: BMW X7 - First Impressions

Earlier this week BMW announced the production version of its very first X7, this coming after months of teasing with images giving little detail on the vehicle. The X7 will be BMW's flagship offering in the X model line up, keeping in style with its new design language for the X models, the X7 bears the biggest BMW kidney grille to date and has been the controversial talking point for many after its announcement. BMW say that the X7 "is the first car to fuse the presence, exclusivity and spaciousness of a luxury model with the agile and versatile driving properties expected of a Sports Activity Vehicle" and it's quite evident from the design and images of the interior that this is aiming to take the thrown in it's segment as one of the best premium luxury SAV's in it's class. It will go head-to-head with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the Range Rover Vogue, not to mention Toyota's Land Cruiser 100  and the Lexus LX. 

As mention before, the design of the X7 isn't sitting well with many on the internet, as following the release of the images and videos, a lot of negative comments have been coming in about the design being too "boxy", the large grilles are too big etc. Fair enough it won't be to everyones taste but I can't fault BMW on this one, it's very similar to the X7 Concept we saw not too long ago and the lines and edges on the car are breathtaking to me. Boxy? well of course it has to be, it seats 6 people in comfort so you can only give designers so much to work with, making the car visually appealing but still being practical, comfortable and spacious on the inside. The interior on the launch model epitomizes the luxury element that BMW is trying to achieve with the model. From the two-tone leather seats with nappa leather diamond pattern stitching, the light wood grain finishes and the glass gear selector just exudes luxury. In cabin ambient lighting it becoming quite popular with BMW of late, we've seen the various colour changing led strips tucked away in door panels and dashboard, and of recent in the speakers of the M5 but the the X7 launch images show some lighting built into the roof, a nice touch on this behemoth. 

Back to the outside of the car, I quite like the bold look of the car, after all it is the biggest in the X Line up so it must look the part. The long elongated lights match up with the ones on the back and with the new laser light system give it character. The 3 air-intake vents, with the horizontal slats also adds to the front facing presence of this beast. Credit has to be given to the design team, being the first BMW of it's kind and to come up with the design so close to the concept isn't an easy feat. The added metal and chrome accents to the exterior really highlight the luxury feel to the X7 but as much as this car is nice to look at, BMW say it's just as good to drive. That's where it all comes down to, will it drive like the BMW's we're used to? Also BMW say that this will also have off road capabilities like the new X5, with a standard two-axle air suspension for increased comfort and increased ground clearance, as well as off road spec differential lock and underguard for the front. 

The BMW X7 is expected in South Africa during March of next year and BMW have said that we will be only getting two models both of which feature diesel engines, the X7 xDrive30d and the M50d. Both of which are brilliant motors from the company and with the ever increasing price of fuel you can understand why the company is choosing to bring these specific engines down. I'm sure at launch they will re-investigate the possibility of bringing a petrol variant as well. Pricing is said to be in the R1,6 million mark for the xDrive 30d and R1.8million for the M50d. 

Bucket Seat: BMW X4 - First Impressions

There's a comforting feeling when you get invited to a day launch in your home town. I'm not quite sure what it is about local launches that have me so relaxed, it could be that the roads we're about to travel on are familiar to me, that I know where to push the cars limits and where to be-careful, or it could be the fact that I don't have to travel on the dreaded "red eye" flight to the launch destination. Whatever it was, I was at ease last Friday when I was invited, along with a host of other motoring journalists to sample BMW's all new X4.

Now for many, the X4 would be an odd car, and I can see where they might be coming from. It's based on the X3 which is a family SUV but made in a sports coupe design, which see's the roof slanted and given a sport back rear end. With the ever growing trend of the market demanding for more crossover options, manufacturers can only head the call of the buyer I suppose and with that you have to salute BMW in it's efforts as global trendsetters, if I may call them that, for developing this once unique but very appealing segment of the "SAC" (Sport Activity Coupe). We've seen many others follow the trend of the BMW X4 since it's introduction to the market in 2014 which sold approximately 200,000 units worldwide, and while BMW may welcome competition, they have to stay ahead of the game and that is exactly what I came to find out during this launch.

The setting for the morning, Durban's iconic Oyster Box, while sipping my cappuccino and enjoying my savoury croissant, watching the waves break on the shoreline, I was wondering if my day would be as predictable as the tide that morning but rest assured it was anything but. See, having the launch in my back yard gave me an advantage over the journo's from outside Durban. While they were thinking about all the sleep they missed out on, to get to the airport on time for their flight, I got in a bit early to get a get a jump on what models were present for the launch. Being a very sporty orientated vehicle, the X4 is being launch in just 3 engine variants for now. A 2 litre petrol, 2 litre diesel and the range topping M40i (3 litre Twin-Power Turbo) engine of which there were two present. Obviously I threw my stuff in the back of one of the M40i's and took the keys before anyone could see, which made me feel a bit smug. Well in my defense, the chances of seeing the M40i in the Durban press fleet next year are slim to none so I had to get a sample of it at the launch.

After a brief presentation on the X4, highlighting the significant changes and differences to the new models, as well as giving us some basic statistics on the market, it was time to hit the road. Don't worry, the presentation wasn't boring but I'll fill you in on the important bits as we go along. Now for those who have never been on a launch, you normally pair up with another journalist and your journey to your lunch time stop is split in half. I opted to drive the latter half seeing that it had a more challenging route on what I thought would be quieter roads to navigate this behemoth. My driving experience started in Eston, where I was greeted with wide open fields making it's way into the hills and forests of the  KZN Midlands. The peace and tranquility which is synonymous with the area was harshly disturbed by the violent gurgling and crackling of the twin exhausts from the mighty X4 M40i. The engine is quite raucous as well, but in a good way, it makes all the right sounds that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand when you put it in Sport mode.

There's no other word to describe the X4 M40i other than a beast, and while I drove the X3 with the very same engine, the X4's lower body, wider rear and longer rear axel give it so much more life. It literally eats up the tar in front of it and with its solid stance, it attacks corners with force and almost feels like it bends the road to suit its path. With BMW's xDrive system, the car picks up which wheels are losing traction when gripping and alternates power to the ones that need it, helping you propel through the twists and bends. That coupled with the reverberating noise from the exhaust just makes you want to keep on going, even if the roars make the wildlife in the area disperse in fear. I was actually quite sad when my route ended up going through the bustling metropolis of Pietermaritzburg which meant I had to tone things done in the M40i but it also gave the car a chance to relax as we navigated the lunch time traffic in EcoPro mode. 

One would say the car has a Jekyll and Hyde complex, but we're in 2018, so let me bring the reference up to speed and say it has a Banner and Hulk complex. In the traffic, while in EcoPro mode, the car was calm and collected but you just know it doesn't take much to let the beast out. The journey to the lunch stop involved some dirt road driving. Now with a car as such, 3 litre, twin power turbo, sitting on 21" rims, not the ideal environment you would think? But that's where you'd be wrong, to quote another Journalist whom attended the launch earlier in the week, "I've never gone this fast on dirt!". Yup, the X4 M40i made minced meat of that gravel track, it unleashed the inner rally driver in me, all those hours spent playing Colin McRae on the PC as a child finally came into fruition as I left a trail of dust behind me while racing to the Karkloof Safari Lodge, to satisfy my appetite that was built up while driving this mighty car.

While sitting at lunch, contemplating whether I should skip dessert and rush out on the first shuttle to secure the M40i on the route back, I figured, if it brought me so much joy, imagine what it would do for the next person. So I guess you could say dessert won that one, but it gave me the opportunity to try out another engine variant and one I believe will be quite important to the X4 line up, the 20d. There's no secret that this engine is one of my favourites from the BMW Group, it offers the best of both worlds while making your trips the filling station less frequent. The drive back was quite the opposite with the diesel, not that it wasn't as fun, for obvious reasons it was much more tame but at the same time still quite enjoyable. It gave me time to appreciate what the car offered on the whole. BMW are becoming more of the giving type now, by throwing in a few more freebies in the X4. Like Business SatNav, BMW Connected drive which can be controlled by an app via your mobile device. This allows you to check on critical information on the car, like fuel levels, tyre pressure levels, oil levels, etc and also help you book your car in should there be a problem or a service is required. There's also a few cool things you can do with the app, like pre-set your air-conditioning, so the car is nice and cool when you jump in. 

Coming from a person who was not the biggest fan of the original X4, I got to say that there isn't much not to like in the new one. While it may be based on the new X3, there is some major variances in the mechanics of the two, so in essence, the X4 isn't just an X3 with a sexier bum. Yes, BMW have done a stunning job on that rear end, it flows so well and with that rear wing that sits above the windshield, just adds that much character to the overall package. A good thing to note is that this new design of the rear is something we will become used to with the upcoming Z4 sporting a similar design and from the spy shots of the new 3 Series which is due to show its face soon, it too will have its rear lights in a similar style to that of the X4. It this is an indication of what we can expect from the next line of BMW X models, the future for this line is very bright and very eXciting. 

X4 xDrive 20i	X4 xDrive 20d	X4 M40i
135kW	140kW	265kW
290Nm	400Nm	500Nm
R843 000*	R843 000*	R1 132 800*

 *Base model prices. 

BMW will have the M40d available to purchase from the first quarter of 2019.

Bucket Seat: BMW M2 Competition - First Impressions

When it comes to "pocket rocket" performance cars, one doesn't look to far from the BMW M2, as it has everything a motor sport enthusiast would need in a small sized performance sedan/coupe. But when the M2 was released, there was already a lot pressure on it to deliver, following in the footsteps of the much praised 1M was not going to be easy and while it did do a great job, many felt that there was that margin for improvement as you could get the M240i and still have as much fun with it as well. Obviously this got to the engineers in BMW and what that transpired to is the BMW M2 Competition. 

Like the M3, M4 and recently announced M5 Competition, the baby in the stable gets a beefed up version of the M Performance variant and boy does it sounds good!  The M2 Competition will feature a new six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology based on the power unit from the BMW M3/M4. So essentially they doing what they did with the 1M, giving it the 3L motor from the M3, tweaking it to suit the M2 frame and wheelbase and all this results to 302kW and 500Nm of torque! The claimed 0-100km/h time is 4.2 seconds which is about 0.1 seconds faster than a standard M2 but a buyer of the M2 Competition would know that you're not just buying this car for straight line speed. 

The car features high-precision CFRP strut and bulkhead strut for increased front section rigidity, a new cooling system, including new front skirt and larger, redesigned BMW kidney in high-gloss black. The car also has a new dual exhaust system with two electronically controlled flaps to optimise noise on them. The cars true potential lies on the track, where it was made for. In terms of design, it might not look that much distinctive to the normal M2 but subtle differences do make the cars appearance more sporty. Like the front angled scoops which help with aerodynamics as well as air intake for cooling. New multi-spoke Competition rims. The large kidney grilles as mentioned before and a fatter rear diffuser which adds to the cars bulky appearance and gives it a more aggressive look. 

The M2 Competition will be available in SA from September this year, no indication on the price yet but be expected to cough out over a million for this one. Is it worth it? Well if you look at the cars it's competing against, the RS3 Sedan comes to mind and the CLA45 which the new one hasn't been released yet, and after this move by BMW you can bank on a CLA45S model coming. But overall, yes, BMW had a good car with the M2, and for those who felt it was lacking, this should be the remedy it needed. The car looks great, figures on paper are great and I'm sure it will be stellar to drive. Love it or hate it, I can guarantee you that order books will be filling up fast for this one. 

Bucket Seat: BMW 220d M Sport

A couple of weeks ago I found myself in Johannesburg to cover the Ultra Music Festival, while I was there the kind folk at BMW SA allowed me to use one of their cars for the weekend, and boy what a car it was! I did know what model I would be receiving prior to me collecting it but the car as a complete package in terms of spec and trim, coupled with that awesome twin-power turbo diesel power unit completely blew me away. Seeing it lurking in the shadows of the OR Tambo parking lot, with its Adaptive LED hexagonal lights beaming at me as it crouched ever so slowly towards me with that slight up we've come to adore from these cars, I could tell I was going to have a great weekend attacking the streets of the countries most busiest city, with this, my first test car of 2018. 

STYLE

The great thing with BMW, is the number of ways you can customize your car to suit your style and with this current car I had, I'd give it a 10 out of 10. The person who sat down with the spec sheet had the same taste as me, in fact I think he did a bit more than I would have! Basically if I had the money and would be buying a 2 Series, this is how mine would end up looking. Black Sapphire Metalix paint on the exterior, with 18" Jet Black Double Spoke rims, complete with the M Sport kit made this little coupe look menacing, almost had an M2 look to it. On the inside, the seats were covered in Dakota Cognac leather, probably my favourite leather colour option available from BMW.  With regards to the face-lift, again, minor changes, it's all in the details, from the LED lights on both front and rear, the new tile format information display menu, the option to have a digital dash and extra lighting for the interior. 

PERFORMANCE

I've said it before and I have been slated for it but BMW's 2 liter diesel engine, for me, is one of the best in their line up. Why? well, simply because it is the best all rounder engine. It has the torque to give you spontaneous performance off the line, and generates speed quickly,and it has by far the best fuel consumption from all the combustion engines offered in the stable. The motor produces 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque, so it is packing! There really was nothing I could do to fault it, the turbo lag is minimal now thanks to the new cooling system, with the various driving modes in the car, the engine adapts and copes suitably. Whether it was robot to robot driving, stuck in Sandton peak traffic driving or hammering it down the M1, the car performed phenomenally. 

COMFORT

Let me start off by saying it's a coupe, people who have never driven one or been in one might not understand but when you do, trust me you will realise what I mean. With coupe's, they tend to be a bit lower, and getting in and out, if you're slightly larger than the norm might prove to be difficult, also there's the doors issue, the doors are longer which reduces the space on the angle when opening or closing it, so God forbid someone park really close to you in a mall, because you'll be pulling some Katherine Zeta Jones moves from entrapment to get in and out. Apart from the entry and exit problems, sitting in the front is pretty damn comfortable, can't say the same for the back but I did have people sit there while I was driving and they had no complaints. The ride quality even with the stiffer suspension is quite smooth, seating positions can vary but from most it was pretty snug. The luggage capacity was pretty decent too, for a small car you really could get a lot into that trunk. 

VERDICT

Prior to driving this car, I was hell bent on the 320d being the perfect car for me, I was adamant that it had everything I needed and it would serve the purpose. However...this little pocket rocket is twisting my arm, it's telling me I'm still young, I'm still single and there's still time to have fun. Even if I were married, it's the perfect car, it can be a little run around, a cruiser or an everyday car. Pricing on it is a bit steep but for what you're getting, it really is worth it. Especially if you look at the current competitors in the segment. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0 liter, 4 Cylinder, TwinPower-Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	8 Speed Sport Automatic Steptronic
Power	140kW
Torque	400Nm
Top Speed	230km/h
Economy	4.1  L/100km
Price	R569,000*

*Price of base model excluding extras