BMW X1 Facelift Caught Cruising City Streets In Germany

As is traditional with BMW mid-cycle updates, don’t expect any significant design changes.

The second-generation BMW X1 only went on sale in 2015 so it still feels fresh, but BMW is wasting no time giving its Volvo XC40 rival a mid-cycle update to maintain its sales momentum in such a fiercely competitive segment. Our spies recently caught a prototype of BMW’s refreshed compact crossover roaming the streets of Munich near the company’s headquarters in Germany. With testing underway, it seems likely the BMW X1 facelift will launch sometime in 2019. From the photos, it’s clear, however, that it won’t be receiving a radical overhaul.

The copious amounts of camouflage may trick you into thinking the 2019 BMW X1 will have some significant design changes, but BMW’s mid-cycle updates are traditionally very subtle. The placement of the camouflage suggests we can expect the updated X1 to feature a redesigned front bumper, new headlights and grille, as well as new taillight graphics. Our spies noted that parts of the interior were also covered up, which means BMW could be updating the X1’s infotainment and sat-nav system. There’s a chance the X1 could also feature BMW’s new fancy digital instrument cluster previewed a few months ago by the time it rolls out in 2019.

As for powertrains, the only variant of the X1 currently sold in the US is the 28i model, which utilizes a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that sends 228 horsepower through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and we expect this setup will be carried over for the mid-cycle update. It’s also available with front-wheel drive as standard but all-wheel drive is optional.

SPIED: Next-Gen BMW 8 Series Coupe And Convertible Caught In Germany

BMW's latest big car, the 8 Series Coupe and Convertible, has been caught by spies in Germany wearing a little less camouflage than we've seen previously. As interesting as the 8 Series' exterior design may be, our spy was adventurous enough to run up to the side of the Coupe and nab a few shots of its instrument panel, which now features completely digital gauges thanks to a wide format TFT screen. The new BMW 8 Series will debut this June at Le Mans, reports Motor1.

BMW M4 CS Vs Porsche 911 GTS: Only In Germany Can A Winner Be Decided

Does the Porsche really have the advantage here?

If you’re really serious about driving and in the market for something that’s several cuts above the rest, there are two vehicles you need to look at: the BMW M4 CS and Porsche 911 GTS. Although the M4 is starting to show its age, the M4 CS suddenly comes along and proves this platform and engine still has lots of life left in it. The Porsche 911 GTS, on the other hand, has the advantage from the get-go. Why? Because it was designed to be a sports car from day one, whereas the M4 CS is a heavily modified 4 Series coupe.

But this is an M car here, and those M engineers know exactly what they’re doing. But do Porsches. Motor Trend’s Jonny Lieberman and Jethro Bovingdon figured it was time to take the ultimate German road trip in two of the greatest German-built cars on sale today, the M4 CS and 911 GTS.

On second thought, these two are perhaps two of the best driver’s cars on sale today, hands down. Expensive? Oh yeah, but both combine literally everything anyone would ever want in a car of this caliber: comfort, luxury, ridiculously sharp handling, and performance. A road trip on the Autobahn, leading to the Nurburgring, and then through the Austrian mountain road (with now safety barriers) was in order. The triple-hit combination of those road tests was able to determine a clear winner.

Germany Has The Coolest Cop Cars In The World

Meanwhile, America's finest drive modified Ford Explorers.

Go to Germany and more than likely the most popular police cars you’ll spot are Volkswagen Passat wagons and the like. Nothing special, right? Of course not. However, spend a bit more time in the bier and wurst-loving country and it’s possible you could see some pretty amazing police cars, many of which we’ve gathered here for your viewing pleasure. Most American police departments purchase Ford Interceptor SUVs, modified Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Caprices. They’re cool and all but not nearly as cool as, say, a Corvette Stingray with rollers bolted to its roof.

Obviously, all of the German cop cars you’re about to see are unique are not the standard, but they exist (or used to), nonetheless, and many are still on active duty today. So beware, German tourists. If you rent a car be sure to abide by all traffic laws. Otherwise, well, tickets are no fun in any country.

BMW Isetta

Let’s start with German police car from yesteryear. Although the BMW Isetta may not look like much, it certainly has character. With its single “refrigerator” front door, the Isetta would definitely not be our first choice by police duty. However, Germany post-World War II needed to be completely rebuilt and police departments didn’t have a lot of money at the time. Therefore, a vehicle that was simple, reliable and economical was needed and the domestic-built Isetta hit all of those requirements. The Isetta was actually used for police duty in the early 1960s by various departmental regions, such as in Lower Saxony. Modifications were minimal, like dark green paint, radio, and a single blue flashing light. Nothing special, right? Well, a restored Isetta cop car was sold at a 2013 auction for over $86,000.

Porsche 356B Cabrio

On November 23, 1960, a Porsche 356B Cabrio entered service in the Dusseldorf police department. It was not meant to be the start of a fleet of 356s, but rather had a more specific purpose: to patrol the Autobahn. If Autobahn drivers had no speed limits but still did something illegal, then the police would need a vehicle capable of keeping up with them. The BMW Isetta would be the absolute worst choice, hence the 356B’s call to service. This one patrolled the Autobahn for six years before being retired – with nearly 100,000 miles on its odometer. This 356B Cabrio was modified with a larger gas tank, a single flashing light, loudspeaker, an additional brake light, and even water repellent upholstery. Today, this Porsche still exists and is part of a private collection in Belgium. Fun fact: the Dusseldorf police department was the 356th division.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Now for something a bit more conventional. Back in 1990, Mercedes-Benz built five modified S-Class sedans specifically for the use of transporting large sums of money. The cars were originally registered with the Federal Police, but the Bundesbank used them the most (for obvious reasons). Although this may appear to be nothing more than a tweaked W126 powered by a 4.2-liter V8, it also carried onboard machine guns, fire extinguishing system, and many other safety features. As you can imagine, one of these Mercs didn’t come cheap, costing taxpayers at the time 650,000 Deutsche Marks, or roughly 1.2 million euros when the German mark to euros was set back in 1999. A couple of years ago, however, one of the surviving S-Class sedans was sold on eBay for just 10,000 euros.

BMW M3

The E36 BMW M3 is still held in high regard 26 years after it originally debuted. It’s really no surprise at least one German police department bought one for intended service. With a total of 321 hp, this E36 M3 was a real nightmare for those who (wrongly) assumed they could outrun cop cars. The E36 M3 was capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds and had a top speed of 155 mph. However, it was entirely possible performance was affected to some degree because of that massive addition to the roof. The lights and loudspeaker system is not exactly a good example of aerodynamics.

Volkswagen e-Golf

Sooner or later an all-electric vehicle would appear as a police car. And here it is: this Volkswagen e-Golf. Hey, probably better than C02 polluting diesel, right? This particular e-Golf was presented to the police back in September 2014. Not only is it zero emissions, but it’s also nearly silent. Speeders will never hear it coming. Then again, chances are this e-Golf didn’t have the performance capabilities to chase down lots of cars. Because it has an outdated all-electric powertrain at this time, it only managed a maximum driving range of 118 miles before requiring a recharge. Imagine you’re a German police officer out on patrol and you’re about to give someone a ticket for whatever reason but you can’t because, embarrassingly, your car has run out of juice.

TechArt Porsche 911 Carrera S

Okay, now we’re talking! Of course a Porsche 911 would show up here sooner or later, and this one just so happens to have been tuned by TechArt. This 911 Carrera S now has a total output of 370 hp and a 0-62 mph time of 4.5 seconds. Top speed? A respectable 186 mph. But wait, aren’t these specs only so-so? They are today, but back in 2005 when this tuned 911 entered service they were pretty badass. Interestingly, the German Ministry of Transportation was the one behind this tuned 911. Teaming up with the Association of German Tuners, it was part of a program to encourage drivers to use only quality components for tuning. Welcome to Germany.

Brabus Mercedes-Benz CLS V12

It was called the Brabus Rocket for a very good reason: 730 hp. This Brabus-tuned Mercedes-Benz CLS is not only your typical police cruiser but also not a normal road car. And, once again, it was built specifically to promote tuning safety. There’s an irony to that. The Brabus Rocket CLS V12 S is powered by a bi-turbo V12 and can reach a supposed top speed of 225 mph. It was built from the get-go for Autobahn duty. Go figure. To this day, this CLS Brabus Rocket remains one of the fastest sedans on public German roads. Picture, for a moment, this thing chasing down banking robbers on the Autobahn. Anyone willing to wager a bet as to who’s fastest? Didn’t think so.

ABT Audi R8 GTR

An Audi R8 modified for police service? Are the German police recruiting these days? We’d be so down for this one. Back in 2011, German tuning firm ABT was commissioned to modify a 5.2-liter V10-powered R8, and the result was this, the R8 GTR. With a new output of 620 hp, police officers could reach 62 mph in only 3.2 seconds and 124 mph in 9.9 seconds. Top speed? How does 202 mph sound to you? So why was ABT paid to build this supercar police car? Once again, it was part of the joint program between the Transportation Ministry and Association of German Tuners. Promoting responsible tuning has never been so much fun.

Mini Cooper JCW

To be clear, like many of the other selections on this list, this Mini Cooper JCW is a show car only. Nothing has changed under its hood, as the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 231 hp remains stock. However, this hot hatch did receive all of the necessary police equipment, including roof-mounted flashing lights and even lights slotted into the hood. A police-approved radio system was also installed. A unique police livery was also applied, complete with paint smudges. The idea was to make this look like the work of street artists because Mini is a youth-oriented brand. No joke. But imagine street artists practicing their art on real police cars. That’s called jail time.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Did we save the best for last? If you’re a Chevrolet Corvette fan then yes. This C7 Corvette Stingray was shipped to Germany specifically for – you guessed it – that government-tuners association program. Its 6.2-liter V8 with 466 hp was left stock, but the coupe’s body received unique police livery, a body kit, flashing lights, loudspeaker, and a telephone with a protected line. But you know when you’re in Germany when the government officials placing the order for the Corvette opted for the seven-speed manual transmission instead of the optional eight-speed slushbox. Did we mention Germany is awesome? If not, we just did.

Half of VW models in Germany are not compliant with new pollution standard

The Golf is among models awaiting regulatory clearance.Edward Taylor
Reuters
August 30, 2018 15:29 CET

FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen Group said only half of its core VW models in Germany are compliant with a new, much tougher emissions testing regime.

Cars in the European Union must comply with the new Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) starting September, but Volkswagen has only gained regulatory clearance for seven of its 14 main model lines.

"The new tests are more cumbersome and take two to three times longer than in the past. Even limited-edition models need to be tested separately," VW's Thomas Zahn said in a call with journalists on Thursday.

"The coming months will be challenging for us," said Zahn, VW brand's head of sales and marketing.

Volkswagen's top-selling Golf model is among the vehicles still waiting to be cleared by authorities, Zahn said.

He said he expected the Golf to pass the WLTP standards by the end of September.

Shipments of cars are expected to slow down in September and October, but pick up again in the final two months of the year.

"We expect very strong deliveries in December," Zahn said.

Automakers including Daimler, Volkswagen and supplier Valeo have cut profit expectations, blaming a slowdown in global sales triggered in part by delays getting vehicles certified to the new standard.

Analysts at Evercore ISI said the WLTP delays at the VW brand appear to be under control since the automaker has not resorted to heavy discounting to keep sales flowing.

Nonetheless delays will cause profitability of the brand to drop to around 2 percent in the third quarter, from 5.5 percent in the second quarter, Evercore said in a note on Thursday.

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