Vision Quest
When it comes to driving – and surviving
- on busy roads, your eyes remain your most
important piece of safety equipment. Here’s
how to use them to maximum effect
[BYBRUCE RITCHIE]
Unsurprisingly,whatliesbeneathgreatly
influencesacar’sdesignandproportions.
The first generation X1 was built on a
3Serieschassisandthusinheritedalong
bonnet,rearwardcabinandshortboot.Good
for sporty handling, less so for the space
and usability demanded in the SUV market.
GentwogetstheunderpinningsfromBMW’s2
SeriesActiveTourer,thecompany’sfirst
foray into front-wheel drive. This gives the
new car more balanced, even proportions.
Italsogivesdesignersafreshpaletteto
play with. And for the all-important exterior,
this responsibility fell to Australian CalvinLuk,whoalsoheadedupthedesignteamthat
gavethenew1Seriesitsupdatedstyling.
While that sharp, resolved exterior work
will get people into showrooms, it’s the car’s
interiorthatwillsealthedeal.TheX1is
now23millimetreswiderand53mmtaller.
This,incombinationwithitsnewplatform,
means back passengers get 66mm more legroom,
whilebootspaceisatouchover500litres,
increasing to a very respectable 1550 litres
with rear seat folded down. On those seats,
the backrests are divided 40:20:40 and the
seatbasesplit60:40,allowingforallmanner
of cargo-versus-passenger permutations.ROAD TEST:BMW X1
TODAY’S NEW CARScome with a clever range of active and
passive safety devices, including sensors that will predict an
imminent impact (and apply the brakes for you), alert you to
cars in your side-mirror blind spots and even warn you about
hard-to-see pedestrians or cyclists. But the gold standard in
safety equipment remain the eyes that evolution placed in the
frontofyourhead,explainsStevenRichards,four-time(and
reigning)Bathurst1000champion,whothisyearwillalsorace
aBMWM6intheAustralianGTChampionships.“Youwanta
wholeperspectivearoundyouonthetrack,”hesays.“It’sthe
same for the road.” Here is Richards’ advice on how best to use
your eyes to drive – and survive.BE FAR-SIGHTED
Don’tjustlookattheroadin
frontofyourcar,says
Richards. For early warning
of trouble, you want to be
looking as far ahead as
possible.Intraffic,that
means looking through the
windscreen of the car in
front, to the car two in front.LOWISTHEGO
Drop your seat to allow you to
look forward through the middle
or lower part of the windscreen,
says Richards. Sitting too high
forcesyoutolookdown,which
shortens your range of vision.MIND THE GAP
At highway speeds, leave at
least three seconds between
you and the car in front. Count
outthedistanceusingaroad
sign or marking – one
elephant, two elephants...EYES ON THE PRIZE
Inacorner,ifyoulook
where you want to go, that’s
where you’ll go. For many
drivers, that means looking
at the first part of a corner
and taking a tight, slow line.
“Looklaterinthecorner,”
says Richards, “and the car
will track more smoothly
around the bend.”Meet the German firm’s new baby SUV, with styling care of a young Australian designer’s pen58 APRIL 2016