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BMW's X3 SUV enters its 4th generation - and it looks great. G45 FTW!
BMW'S X3 SUV ENTERS ITS 4TH GENERATION - AND IT LOOKS GREAT. G45 FTW!
It was a good 25 years ago that BMW entered the luxury SUV market with the BMW X5. It was a large and imposing thing and everyone loved it. It was a little too big for some though, especially those coming from a lower, smaller sedan. A mere four years later the BMW X3 was introduced to the automotive world, and it was basically a scaled-down version of the X5 and this meant it opened ownership of a BMW SUV to a much larger audience. That first incarnation of the X3, the E83, stayed in production for quite a while compared to other BMW models, it was only phased out in 2010. It looked good and featured the same design architecture as the rest of the BMW range and the top dog was fitted with an inline 6-cylinder powerplant rated at 200 kW with 315 Nm of torque. The second generation F25 dropped in 2010 and stuck around until 2017 and it featured a sharper design, much-improved finishings and specs along with better engine options. It grew in size too, not by too much, but it was indeed noticeable. The range-topper in this second generation was another inline six and in its best version was rated at 225 kW with 400 Nm of torque. The world wanted performance from SUVs and BMW obliged. When the third generation BMW X3, the G01, surfaced in 2017 it was a totally different car, it was now the size of the old X5, but as is the norm with BMW, it was leaps ahead in tech and spec. In 2021 it received a mid-life update that saw the bigger kidney grille added in, and it looked pretty good. The top model arrived in 2022, the X3 M Competition, an all-wheel drive turbocharged monster with a whopping 375 Kw and 600 Nm of torque on tap and it could hit 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds. It also changed categories, it's no longer an SUV but an SAV - Sports Activity Vehicle. This version has just reached the end of its life to make way for the 4th generation, and as expected, it’s a huge move forward in all aspects, especially design. It looks brilliant, almost like a scaled-down version of the BMW XM but with better proportions.
The new BMW X3 has grown even more, it now measures 34 mm and 29 mm wider but has dropped in height by 25 mm, and while you’d likely only notice the slight changes if it was parked alongside its predecessor, the difference it does manage to make the SAV look beefier. The version we’re most interested in is the one at the top of the price list, which so far is the BMW X3 M50 xDrive M Performance, and as the name suggests, it will have a fair bit of performance. Of course, it will also have the best looks because anything from BMW with an M in the name has better bumpers, side skirts and trim than the lower-spec models, and it will also feature lightweight 19-inch M wheels with an option to increase the size to 21 or 22 inches. This model is the only one in the lineup with actual visible exhaust tips, the others have flush bumpers with no exhaust tips. There’s new paint for the X3, for the units built outside of Germany there is one solid and eight metallic shades, including the new Dune Grey metallic finish you can see in the pics, and until we see more, this is the colour to have. For units produced at BMW Group Plant in Spartanburg, there will also be two matt shimmering Frozen options along with more than 15 BMW Individual special paint finishes. Under the hood of this new BMW X3 M50 xDrive M Performance is the most powerful turbocharged inline-6 ever fitted to an M Performance model. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre has more power than before thanks to some electric assistance in the form of some 48V mild hybrid technology. With this new futuristic powerplant in play, power is rated at 293 kW with 580 Nm of torque and power heads to all four wheels via the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system. This version of the X3 is said to be capable of hitting 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed limited to 250 km/h. These are impressive specs for an M Performance model, so we’re super keen to see what kind of power an actual BMW M version will make, and it will also feature the addition of mild-hybrid technology. We’ll let you know when we know, but you expected that.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the crew at Autogefühl as they delve into all the juicy bits about the all-new BMW X3 - they take a look at all the models on offer, but we only care about that range-topping M50 xDrive: all-new BMW X3 REVEAL 2025 REVIEW | Autogefühl
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