Currently reading: BMW's baby SUV in the open

RAV4-rivalling X1 spied in tests; on sale in 2010

These are the best pictures yet of BMW's forthcoming X1 baby off-roader, spied undergoing tests in Germany.The X1 - an upmarket rival for the Toyota RAV4 and Ford's Focus-based Kuga - will blend traditional SUV elements with some styling traits from the X6 crossover. Judging by these pics, for example, it looks set to retain the X6's coupé-esque roofline instead of a rear door.The X1 will be revealed next year, with sales due to start early in 2010. It is based heavily on the regular 1-series, and will be built at the same plant in Leipzig. So expect engine options to include all of the 1-series' four and six-cylinder petrol units, and diesel motors with one and two turbos. Transmission options have yet to be confirmed, but a rear-wheel-drive base model is feasible, along with four-wheel-drive variants using X3 components. Pricing is likely to be at the 'premium' end of the small SUV sector, with lower-end models costing the same as highly specced RAV4s.

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