All-new BMW X1 Concept revealed early

BMW seems intent on diluting its brand image further with every new model they create. As if the X6, the X5 and the X3 weren’t enough, the German company has now created an X1 soft-roader, to be shown in near-production trim at the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

Most likely based on the equally-daft 1-Series platform, the BMW X1 is trying to break into a segment that didn’t ask for any luxury treatment. The sub-compact SUV genre is currently occupied by ultra-cheap offroad-capable Japanese machines with tiny engines. The X1 will no doubt combine a cramped interior with all-wheel-drive and a range of 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines from the BMW parts bin.

Expect to see the X1 in production as a 2010 model by next year.