UNLEASH YOUR COMPETITIVE STREAK
BMW X3 M COMPETITION
Although BMW has been putting up an impressive show with these big boys, it has been neglecting the niche crossover segment, leaving the likes of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Q4 and the AMG GLC63 to make their names. Now, albeit a little late to the party, BMW have released the smaller X3 M Competition and we drove it to see how it stacks up against the competition.
IS IT A HEAD-TURNER?
Granted looks are subjective, but, my word, does the X3 M Competition look handsome! If you thought the X5 M was a looker then this one will surely impress. The X3 M borrows heavily from the design cues of its bigger sibling, but to better success. Everything about the X3 M (including the grille, thankfully) is proportional and ties beautifully into one cohesive masterpiece.
The base X3 already looked good, but the more aggressive body kit from the M parts bin has boosted the aggressive appeal of the car. The front is dominated by dominant air inlets and arguably one of the better executions of the kidney grill to come from BMW in recent memory. The rear boasts redesigned tail lights, akin to big brother X5, and a chiselled roof spoiler. Down below, a sporty rear bumper houses a diffuser and exhaust pipes. And, yes, unlike certain popular German brands, these quad exhaust pipes are real and are the source of an attention grabbing raspy inline-six howl. Coupled with that exhaust note, my tester, in its silver metallic paint – adorned with M Competition guise complete with black trim and 21” alloys – was a source of much attention from the public.
STEP INSIDE
The interior of the X3 M is as beautiful to behold as the exterior is. In typical BMW fashion, the cabin is well-built and oozes luxury from its generous use of high quality materials. A familiar BMW dashboard houses ergonomic button placement and a 10.25” infotainment system complete with the latest BMW MMI system. Gesture control is standard on this car, ready to impress your passengers and entertain children. I found the seating spacious and comfortable for both driver and passengers, with good visibility all-round the vehicle.
To remind you that this is not the run of the mill X3 model, there are M division touches in the cabin from X3 M badges on the seat backs, M seatbelts complete with the traditional M tri-colours and, most importantly, the configurable red M1 and M2 mode buttons on the multi-function steering wheel. The car also comes with ambient lighting that brings the cabin to life as the light dims outside.
ALL WELL AND FINE, BUT DOES IT GO LIKE AN M CAR?
YES! The X3 M Competition is obscenely quick. The car is powered by the brand new S58 which is a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six that we should also expect in the highly anticipated M3 and M4. It is tuned to produce 375 kW and 600 Nm which is capable of propelling this two tonne vehicle to 100 km/h in about 4.1 seconds and onwards until you bravely reach 285 km/h. The throttle response is near instantaneous and turbo lag is almost non-existent. While the engine revs up to 7,200 r/min, you will rarely see yourself revving out the engine since torque is readily available from as low as 2,600 r/min. All that power is transmitted to the wheels via a snappy eightspeed torque convertor automatic transmission that has three stages of varying shift intensity.
The car also comes with the clever X-Drive system from the F90 M5 which primarily runs in a rear wheel biased setup until it feels that the front wheels need to step in. During my time with this car, I constantly found myself struggling to keep the car within the speed limit. That raspy exhaust note and the eager throttle egg you on to drive the car faster than the authorities would want you to.
DOES IT HANDLE LIKE AN M CAR?
As far as physics will allow. While the X3 M comes in at just over two tonnes, it possesses an unnatural nimbleness around the corners. Head of M Division, Mark Flasch, stated that in making the X3 M, they were not trying to make an M version of an X3 but rather an M3 with SUV visuals. A lot of engineering went into making the suspension dynamic enough to handle the heft of the SUV when being driven hard. As a result, body roll is barely noticeable. Couple that with a responsive steering wheel and you have the makings of a fun driving experience.
The X3 M carves corners faster than an SUV should, and should you be brave enough to accelerate midturn, the X-Drive system will tease you with a faint touch of oversteer. This car breeds hooliganism! However, there is a catch. In order to ensure that the car handles its mass well around the corners, the suspension had to be stiffened up. Although the X3 M comes with adjustable dampers, its softest setting is still noticeably firm. While M fanatics can live with the trade-off, I am sure the average person would find it a bit too firm for their liking.
THE LAST WORD
What BMW have created is a luxurious five-seater that is easy to live with on a daily basis. Should the need arise, the same car has the capabilities to go off-road. And should the mood arise, it can also terrorise sports cars and hot hatches at the traffic lights and around the corners. The X3 M offers a
dynamic range of abilities that few people can ever make use of in the city. Is it necessary? Definitely not. However, as a petrol head, I cannot help but marvel at the engineering muscle that BMW flexed to make this car happen. If you are a family person who needs a “do it all” machine, then the X3 M is definitely worth a look. Having driven the car, I was highly impressed and left with one burning question. If the X3 M Competition is this good… then just how great is the M3 going to be?