2001 BMW X Models Reviews

BMW Australia has plugged the sizeable gap between base and flagship of what is likely to be its most popular model.

Ineos says hydrogen will be part of its future, but it may be further away than you'd hope.

The real world fuel efficiency of cars has long been in question, with owners and road tests repeatedly finding huge chasms between ratings used in advertising and what happens on the road. 

Global BMW boss Oliver Zipse has called for the European Union to scrap its ban on new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035 to give the industry more time to reduce its reliance on Chinese battery technology.Speaking to reporters at the Paris motor show, Zipse, a fervent advocate for alternative zero-emissions fuel sources such as biofuel and hydrogen, said the ICE ban could "lead to a massive shrinking of the industry as a whole".Rising manufacturing costs, low levels of technological innovation and stiff competition from budget Chinese brands have forced many European automakers to delay their electrification plans in the face of the EU’s mandate.Zipse has consequently pushed for a rethink of Europe’s regulatory framework guiding the EV transition so that European automakers can play more to their strengths."A correction of the 100 percent BEV target for 2035 as part of a comprehensive CO2-reduction package would also afford European OEMs less reliance on China for batteries," he said.BMW joins several automakers who have raised the alarm against the EU’s landmark 2023 ruling, fearing subsequent multi-billion-euro fines could hurt their businesses amid lower-than-expected demand for EVs.Stellantis and VW have also made similar objections, while the Italian government has called for the mandate to be reformed or for the deadline to be extended.Europe’s car market has shrunk by roughly 18 per cent since the pandemic, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. EV uptake fell by 43.9 per cent in August compared to the previous year, according to Reuters.The decline in car sales is partly driven by increasing costs.The average price of an EV in Europe has risen roughly 11 per cent since 2020, from approximately €40,000 ($65,000) to approximately €45,000 ($73,000), according to Automotive News Europe.This isn’t helped by the fact that European regulators are set to impose tariffs on cheaper Chinese-made EVs of up to 35.3 per cent, in addition to an already standing 10 per cent levy on imported vehicles.It's a measure that is likely to create even more pain for automakers like BMW, Stellantis and VW who produce several EVs in China, with Zipse calling it a “fatal blow” for the industry.

BMW's next-generation 2 Series Gran Coupe will land in Australia in the first quarter of 2025 with two new variants, bigger proportions and extensive design and drivetrain upgrades.

What is the answer to lowering global tailpipe emissions? It doesn't seem to be fines for manufacturers, but incentives for buyers mixed with broader choice of hybrid, plug-in and future propulsion options.

BMW will add hydrogen power to its model mix in 2028.

Toyota will band together with BMW to develop hydrogen technology, in what is the biggest indication yet that BMW is gearing up to enter a hydrogen-powered vehicle into the mainstream market.According to Nikkei Asia, the Japanese and German automakers are set to sign a memorandum of understanding confirming the partnership next week, with an announcement expected during BMW’s round table media event on September 5.It’s the latest evolution of a hydrogen partnership that dates back to 2012, when Toyota agreed to supply BMW with a limited number of hydrogen fuel cell components.This agreement will pave the way for a more comprehensive partnership, with Toyota supplying BMW with more sophisticated hydrogen tanks and fuel cell systems. According to Nikkei Asia, BMW will then use its in-house EV technologies to manufacture the rest of the vehicle.The announcement doesn’t come as a surprise, given that Toyota is already a well-established player in the hydrogen fuel cell segment, and BMW has increasingly expressed interest in producing a hydrogen cell vehicles for the mainstream market.BMW recently toured its hydrogen powered iX5 hydrogen prototype – which is built on the X5 SUV platform – across Australia in July, while Toyota introduced its hydrogen powered Mirai, one of two hydrogen vehicles available in Australia, on a special leasing agreement back in 2021. The Mirai has been offered in Japan since 2014.Hyundai is the only other brand in Australia with a hydrogen passenger vehicle, the Nexo SUV, which it distributes under a similar leasing scheme. The ACT and QLD governments are two of Hyundai’s biggest leasing partners for the Nexo. Each government leased a fleet in 2021 which they have both extended as of this year.The arrangement with Toyota may bring down the cost of any prospective hydrogen vehicle from BMW, although questions persist — particularly in Australia — about the feasibility of selling a hydrogen vehicle to the public.Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles run on electricity generated through a chemical reaction created between hydrogen and oxygen, with their only tailpipe emission being water.Their range and refuelling time is considered to be better than EVs, with the technology presenting itself as an attractive alternative as the demand for EVs begins to plateau.There are just 12 hydrogen refuelling stations in Australia, with the cost of delivering hydrogen infrastructure here remaining incredibly high. The CSIRO’s hydrogen refuelling and production station in Melbourne, for example, cost $2.5 million to build, but only generates enough fuel capacity for roughly 10 vehicles per day.BMW may struggle less in Germany though, where a network of 86 refuelling and production stations puts Germany as one of the global leaders when it comes to hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.Toyota Australia signed a memorandum of understanding last year with Hyundai, energy-giant Pacific Energy and fuel retailer Ampol to drive local infrastructure expansion.Hyundai’s XCIENT Hydrogen Fuel Cell trucks already operate across Europe on a commercial scale, with Hyundai and Toyota particularly adamant that hydrogen technology will first establish itself in the transport industry before it becomes available on a mainstream scale in passenger cars.

Is Tesla’s electric car sales dominance starting to falter?

BMW, Mini and BMW-tuner Alpina have been hit by a wide-ranging recall. According to a federal government recall notice, 26,491 BMW, Mini and Alpina vehicles sold between 2022 and 2024 have a manufacturing defect that may cause signal interference in the electronic braking systems, impacting a driver’s capacity to fully administer their brakes.