2024 BMW X1 Gains a Powerful 312-HP M35i Performance Model

BMW is adding a performance model to the X1 lineup for 2024.It’s called the M35i and it has a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with 312 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque.The 2024 X1 M35i will go on sale in October and starts at $50,895.

BMW is turning up the wick on the little X1 crossover with a new M35i performance model for 2024. While it’s not a full X1 M, this treatment includes more than just M badges and brings on a more powerful engine, upgraded brakes, standard adaptive dampers, and sporty exterior add-ons.

This marks the first time BMW has offered a sportier version of the X1 in the U.S., as the M35i model was previously reserved only for the sloped-roof X2. The X1 was redesigned for 2023, but we haven’t heard anything about a new X2 yet, so offering the M version on the X1 could suggest that the X2 spinoff won’t return to our shores for another generation.

Standard equipment on the 2024 X1 M35i is a higher-output version of the base xDrive28i model’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. It runs the same Miller cycle as the standard engine but produces significantly more power: 312 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 71 hp. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard, and the M35i also gains a limited-slip differential. Adaptive dampers are standard equipment, and BMW’s M compound brakes are optional.

BMW claims that the X1 M35i will accelerate to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, but we think that claim is conservative. The 241-hp base X1 achieved a 5.4 second result in our testing, and the previous 302-hp X2 M35i sprinted to that mark in 4.5 seconds, so we’re confident that the new model will easily slide in under 5.0 seconds. It also has a top speed of 155 mph.

Quad exhaust tips are said to add some auditory drama to the turbo-four’s soundtrack and also contribute to the M35i’s aggressive look. It also gains different side skirts, larger air intakes up front, a rear diffuser, and, of course, lots of M logos. 19-inch wheels with all-season tires are standard, but 20-inch wheels with summer rubber are optional.

Inside, the M model has faux-suede trim, blue stitching, and optional sport seats. BMW has also upgraded the X1’s iDrive infotainment to run the latest Operating System 9 software. This change will apply to all 2024 X1 models, not just the M35i, and it is said to reduce complexity by offering more shortcuts and better-organized menus.

BMW has priced the M35i starting at $50,895, and that will rise significantly with added option packages such as the various driver-assistance packages, the M Sport Professional package, and the Premium package. The X1 M35i is slated to arrive at U.S. dealerships starting in October 2023.

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Senior Editor

Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.