2018 BMW X2 officially debuts as a sportier, more stylish alternative to the X1

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The first-ever BMW X2 adds driving pleasure, equipment, and style on top of what the X1 was already offering

It might not come as a surprise given the leaked photos we've shown you earlier today, but here we go: BMW's first ever X2 has officially debuted.

Sharing the UKL2 FWD/AWD platform with the X1, the new model offers the option of a sporty suspension setup to bring what BMW calls "previously uncharted levels of driving pleasure to this vehicle segment."

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Arriving in European markets in March 2018, the all-new BMW X2 targets young audiences, particularly customers who live in urban areas. That's reflected in the styling as well, as the X2 sports a more dynamic appearance — the automaker even goes as far as saying the profile combines the rugged look of a BMW X model with the sporting grace of a coupe.

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We'll let you decide if that's the case, but until then some design details are worth noting, such as the squared-off look of the wheel arches, the striking tailpipes and muscular side skirts, a new shape for the kidney grilles, and the BMW roundels on the C-pillars. The latter design cue is a reference to classic coupés such as the 2000 CS and 3.0 CSL — don't you feel BMW is stretching the coupé comparison too much?

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There's not much to talk about regarding the interior, as the X2 features the same dashboard of the X1. A welcome update is the sleeker and more discrete gearshift lever compared to that from the F48 X1. Obviously, the X2 also offers more equipment and better-quality materials than its more utilitarian sibling — particularly on M Sport and M Sport X grades.

And so we get to the engine lineup, which includes three 2.0-liter units at launch: the 192-hp sDrive20i gasoline power plant, the 190-hp xDrive20d diesel, and the 231-hp xDrive25d oil burner.

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Both diesel versions get the xDrive all-wheel-drive system and the eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission with torque converter as standard, while the gasoline model is front-wheel-drive and features the seven-speed Steptronic dual-clutch transmission.

Later on, BMW will add new engines, with outputs ranging from 140 hp to 192 hp: the three-cylinder sDrive18i, as well as the four-cylinder xDrive20i, sDrive18d, and xDrive18d.

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M Sport and M Sport X trim levels come fitted as standard with the M Sport suspension with stiffer springs and dampers plus a lowered ride height — for the base model the equipment is optional.

As you can imagine, the options list is quite long and includes, among other things, Dynamic Damper Control, full-color BMW Head-Up Display, Driving Assistant Plus package with Traffic Jam Assistant, and Parking Assistant.

To get an idea about what the X2 will be like to drive, head over to our review of the 2017 BMW X1 xDrive18d.