LDV T60 UTILITY
The thirdgeneration BMW X3 is a beauty, on and off the road says NZ4WD’s Damien O’Carroll.
Since 1999, when i t launched i ts first X5 model, BMW has sold more than 5,400,000 X vehicles, making the move into SUVs an unarguably good one. When the company launched the smaller X3 in 2003, however, i t wasn’t quite as convincing as the X5, with odd looks and poor quality making i t decidedly un- BMW like. That changed somewhat with a quick facelift in 2006 and any ‘un- BMW- like’ thoughts were banished entirely in 2010 by a far better looking and much higher quality second- generation model. Now, in 2018, i t is time for an all- new third- generation X3, and ( Not surprisingly given the reception to i t ) BMW has made the new ‘un even more like an X5 than ever before. There is a very good reason for this – the luxury SUV segment is up 15 percent and ( when this was written late in 2017) SUVs made up 46 percent of BMW’s volume – so making the X3 more like the X5 ( that makes up 50 percent of the company’s SUV volume) makes a lot of sense.
Sporty spice
Also, given the market’s taste for that most contradictory of things – sporty SUVs – BMW has come over all sporty with the X3 by adding a simply mental M40i model that packs the superb 265kW/ 450Nm 3.0li tre t win- turbo in- line sixcylinder engine that makes the 340i so sublimely fun. Alongside the M40i, the X3 will initially be available in xDrive 20d and xDrive30i forms that pack a 140kW/ 400Nm 2.0- li tre turbo diesel four- cylinder and a 185kW/ 450Nm 2.0- li tre turbo petrol four- cylinder engine respectively. All engines are hooked up to an eight- speed automatic
transmission that drives all four wheels via BMW’s xDrive AWD system. The xDrive20d kicks off the range at $ 92,850 and comes standard with an impressive array of kit, including 19- inch alloy wheels, an electric tailgate, leather upholstery, wireless phone charging, active cruise control, high beam assist, LED headlights, satellite navigation, a rear view camera, speed limit information, sports seats and interior ambient lighting. The xDrive30i lands at $ 99,850 and adds 20- inch alloy wheels, a “sports” automatic transmission with steering wheel paddles, a comfort access system, a heads up display, parking assistant plus and adaptive LED headlights.
Luxury liner!
Rather unsurprisingly the M40i tops the range at $ 119,850 and, along with the monster engine, adds 21- inch M- specific alloy wheels, adaptive suspension, LED fog lights, heated front seats and lumbar support, a Harmon Kardon audio system and gesture control. On the local launch there was a range of xDrive30i and M40i models available, with the diesel not present, but the petrol models proved themselves to be deeply impressive. The xDrive30i feels like a far more mature, grown up vehicle that the previous X3, with a superbly well resolved ride that is traditionallyBMW – obviously firm, but never intrusive. The 2.0- li tre turbo petrol engine is delightfully responsive and smooth, handling the X3’s bulk with an effortless ease. The same can be said of the chassis’s abilities, with a direct and responsive approach to handling that direct rivals are yet to nail down on their SUVs. This is particularly noticeable in the M40i, with i ts ridiculous power and acceleration. Ridiculous in a very good way, that is.
Wolf/sheep
The 3.0- li tre t win- turbo six is a wonderfully smooth and blatantly powerful engine that propels the X3 along at a frankly startling rate that is not at all in keeping with i ts SUV appearance. Personally, I don’t get the need for a sporty SUV, but the X3 M40i certainly makes a particularly strong argument for their existence. Across the range interior quality is impressively high, although the design is somewhat dated now. With the current incarnation now being larger than the original X5, the X3 certainly has grown up, and i t has matured into an impressively high quality, athletic and superbly comfortable vehicle. The high levels of standard equipment are particularly impressive, as are the more muscular looks that wrap up what is a thoroughly convincing package.