Generation 3 to be proudly South African
The BMW X3 is one of the biggest-selling premium crossover SUVs in the world and it’s about to head into its third generation. Based on an all-new chassis architecture, it will deliver rearand all-wheel drive versions with four and six-cylinder power in a package that’s up to 55kg lighter than the current car.
It’s a bigger car than before — even though its overall footprint is 4,761mm long, 1,897mm wide and 1,676mm high — because its 2,864mm wheelbase is about 50mm longer than before.
Eschewing an aluminiumrich architecture, it rides on a metal mix that’s just as stacked with high-strength and veryhigh-strength steels. The lightest of the diesel models weighs in at a claimed 1,750kg.
It will launch towards the end of 2017 in SA with three allwheel drive versions: the 20d diesel, the stronger 30d diesel and the M40i, but will soon follow that up with the all-wheel drive xDrive 30i.
The overhaul has tackled some of the core issues with the outgoing X3, including the adoption of acoustic glass to lower the interior noise levels.
With its exterior designed by BMW’s Australian designer, Calvin Luk, it also has LED head and tail lights, an automaticopening tailgate and bigger centre console storage areas. Luk was also responsible for the X1 and the facelift of the 1 Series.
The X3’s rear luggage capacity has moved up to 550l in standard form, or 1,600l with the rear seats folded. It also scores adaptive aluminium fastening rails in the cargo area and the 40:20:40 split-fold rear seats can be collapsed by pushing a button in the cargo area.
Every model in the X3 range will get twin tailpipes. The active louvre system in the grille, which opens and closes depending on the radiator’s need for cooling air, helps it to pull its aerodynamic drag coefficient down to 0.29.
It shares a lot of its electronic architecture with the latest generation 5 and 7 Series models, so it will deliver a range of optional safety and convenience gizmos that were technically out of reach before. It can be optioned with the 7 Series’ Navigation Pro system, which brings with it a 10.2-inch touchscreen with gesture control.
The X3 will be able to connect with everything from Microsoft Office platforms to smartphones and smart watches, while in international markets Amazon Echo’s Alexa voice service will help users to check the car’s fuel level, lock doors or start the air-conditioner.
It will also be able to send real-time images or video feeds from the car’s 360° surround view camera directly to smartphones, tablets or laptops, though in some countries privacy laws prevent it from directly recording the video streams.
It adopts the full-colour head-up display from the 7 Series as an option, along with a full suite of electronics-based safety systems, from active cruise control (which includes stop-and-go powertrain control), a steering, lane-keeping and lane-change assist system, a wrong way warning for freeways and a cross-traffic alert.
Its powertrain charge will be led by the M Performance Automobiles X3 M40i, the all-wheel drive with a 3.0l, turbocharged six-cylinder engine. Capable of punting to 100km/h in a claimed 4.8 seconds, the M40i is a second clear of the next fastest version, the xDrive 30d sixcylinder diesel.
With 265kW of power at 5,500r/min and 500Nm of torque from only 1,520r/min, the 1,810kg M40i has a restricted top speed of 250km/h, all the while delivering 8.2l/100km on the combined cycle. That, and its 188g/km of CO2, make it the thirstiest of the six variants, but it’s the most lavishly equipped.
The big bomber X3 effectively means there will be no initial X3M and there are no plans for one, because the M40i still comes with an M Sport exhaust
system, 20-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive suspension system and a centre differential that is biased more towards a reardrive stance.
It also uses four-piston front brake callipers and two-piston rears, variable steering and, almost incongruously, its eightspeed automatic transmission is not only controlled by paddle shifters but the system also has an in-built launch control. All X3s for SA also use a modified 7 Series transaxle.
BMW claims the X3 range is 50:50 in weight distribution, too, and all engine variants will come with either X-Line, Luxury Line or M Sport trim packages.
The chassis layout is based around a five-link rear suspension and a strut-based front end, though it adopts tubular anti-roll bars to reduce weight.
There is a nodding, vague acceptance of its off-road pretensions, including 204mm of ground clearance, 500mm of wading depth and a highmounted air intake.
The all-wheel drive xDrive20i will use a 1,998cc four-cylinder turbo engine, with direct fuel injection, to deliver 135kW of power at 5,000r/min and 290Nm of torque from 1,250. It will use an eight-speed automatic transmission and reach a 215km/h top speed and hit 100km/h in a claimed 8.3 seconds, while delivering 7.4l/100km fuel consumption.
The xDrive30i uses the same core four-cylinder engine, but tuned to deliver 185kW of power and 350Nm of torque. That helps it to deliver better straight-line performance, slashing the acceleration time to 6.3 seconds to 100km/h and stretching out to 240km/h, with the same consumption as the xDrive20i.
The diesel side of the range starts with the four-cylinder, 2.0l xDrive20d and its 1,995cc engine. It might be small but it crunches out 400Nm of torque from 1,750r/min and 140kW of power at 4,000 to reach 100km/h in eight seconds, while posting a consumption figure of just 5.0l/100km, emitting 132 grams of CO2.
The stronger of the two diesel options is the six-cylinder, 2,993cc xDrive30d, with its 195kW of power and a thumping 620Nm of torque. It hustles to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds, making it the second-fastest X3 in the lineup, and tops out at 240km/h to tie the xDrive30i.
Its reported fuel consumption is 5.7l/100km and its emissions are down to 149g, even though it sits at 1,820kg.
The imminent arrival of the new X3 means more to SA than just another new model because from the first half of 2018 it will also be built here. As the growth in crossovers and SUVs continues unabated, the Rosslyn plant is set to remain an important part of the Munich company’s global supply chain.