2014 BMW X1 xDrive35i M Sport

Do not adjust your screen. This is not a test. Yes, a BMW X1 is appearing on these pages. But, please stick with me because I’ll explain why.

When the X1 arrived, I – probably like you – considered it a bit of an affront to the brand. Following in the footsteps of the mission-drift but popular X5 and X3 models, the X1 made a fair amount of sense from a marketing standpoint. For about the same money as a loaded Subaru Outback, you could get an (arguably) better looking and performing BMW, after all. So the X1 opened BMW up to a whole new market as the least expensive option in their catalog.

I’ll admit, when they arrived I even went and drove one with my wife. We were considering replacing her…yup, Subaru Outback, and since the Outback’s build quality had proven so abysmal it was hard to get on board with throwing $30,000 at one. But for about two grand more, you could get into a basic X1 xDrive28i, and it really was a nicer car in just about every way.

We didn’t go down that route, as it turned out, for better or worse. And four years on, I’m not sure that the first generation X1 aged all that well. It received an update in the 2012 model year which made it slightly more slick-looking, but the proportions are still fairly awkward. So why is it here? Because it was also one of the best BMWs you could buy.

Underneath the rather upright body was the chassis borrowed more or less straight from the E91 Sport Wagon. But the E84 X1 had a few trumps over the 328i. Like the E91, you had two engine choices. “28i” models got the N20 turbo four rated at a pretty amazing 241 horsepower with 258 lb.ft of torque, or you could get what you see here. In the “35i” there was a N55 turbocharged inline-6 with 300 horsepower and 300 lb.ft of torque at the same time that engine choice wasn’t an option for the wagon fans. So if you wanted a fast BMW wagon, here it is:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2014 BMW X1 xDrive35i M Sport on eBay

Year: 2014
Model: X1 xDrive35i M Sport
VIN: WBAVM5C5XEVV92013
Engine: 3.0 liter turbocharged inline-6
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Mileage: 158,472 mi
Price: $14,995 Buy It Now

We are pleased to present this absolutely incredible and very, very pretty BMW X1. This particular example is crammed with options including Navigation, Internet connected apps, Voice Control, The M-Sport package with 19″ alloy wheels, Heated seats and steering wheel, Xenon headlamps, and much more! The 5 series has long been regarded as the ultimate midsize sedan for luxury, handling charecteristics, and appearance, and this car is a perfect example of why that is. You won’t find an opportunity to own an X1 AWD that’s so abslutely loaded for such a great deal anywhere else!

The tires are matching Continentals with very good tread life remaining. The brakes are in good shape and the car stops as it should. The legendary BMW Inline 6 cylider engine runs flawlessly and is very smooth. The transmission also operates properly. The car has traction and stability control, along with x-drive all wheel drive, which make this a truly usable car in the winter. It’s very smooth, while still shifting crisply. These cars are known for being mechanically reliable.

Opt in the M-Sport package, and you had a pretty trick bit of kit. This one was opted with Mineral Gray Metallic over Nevada Beige leather, and with the M-Sport option came the revised and beefed up body kit, Style M225 wheels, the M paddle shift multi-function steering wheel and sport seats and M-Sport suspension. These cars also came pretty fully loaded by the time that you got to this model, which cranked the price up – build one like this and they were the best part of $50,000. That sounds like a lot until you remember what the 2014 BMW 328i Sports Wagon’s sticker price was. The base price was $45,645. And add a few desirable options in, you’d be about $10,000 north of the X1 but without the N55 turbo motor. So the X1 was a cheaper, faster 3-series wagon, and because it was a E91 chassis, it retained the hydraulic steering. Basically, it was the last of the best BMW attributes – if you can get on with the styling.

This one certainly looks nice and BOY has it been driven. But condition appears to be very good and the asking price is fairly reasonably considering the rarity of the M-Sport package coupled with the 35i model. The newer X1s have moved on to share the Mini chassis rather than the 3-series, so while these are still fairly new it’s your last chance to enjoy a defacto M3 wagon – albeit one with an overactive pituitary gland.

-Carter