All-new BMW X3 revealed

The BMW X3 is one of the world’s biggest selling premium crossover SUVs and the all-new, third generation of the mid-size SUV has now broken official cover ahead of its Australian release in the first half of next year.

The 2018 X3, based on an all-new chassis architecture, will deliver both rear- and 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 4761mm long, 1897mm wide and 1676mm high, because its 2864mm wheelbase is about 5cm longer than.
Eschewing an aluminium-rich architecture, it instead rides on a metal mix that’s just as stacked with high-strength and very-high-strength steels, with the lightest of the diesel models weighing in at a claimed 1750kg.

It will launch with just three all-wheel 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 and the front-drive sDrive 20i, which will be the lightest X3 in the range.

The overhaul has also addressed some of the core issues with the outgoing X3, including the adoption of acoustic glass for the windscreen to lower the interior noise levels, while the sound-absorbing glass is optional for the front windows, too.

With its exterior designed by BMW’s Australian designer, Calvin Luk, it also has LED head and tail lights, an automatic-opening tailgate, bigger centre-console storage areas and even accommodation for one-litre water bottles in the door pockets. Luk was also responsible for the X1 and the facelift of the 1 Series.

The X3’s rear luggage capacity has moved up to 550 litres in standard form, or 1600 litres 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, removing the need to open the rear doors.

Every model in the X3 range will get twin tailpipes, thanks to Luk’s pen, while the active louvre system in the grille, which opens and closes depending on the radiator’s need for cooling air, helps it pull its aerodynamic drag co-efficient down to 0.29Cd.

It also shares a lot of its electronic architecture with the just-launched 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 touch-screen with gesture control, plus there are further options for three-zone climate-control and ambient lighting.

The X3 will be able to connect with everything from Microsoft Office platforms to connect to smartphones and smart watches, while Amazon Echo’s Alexa voice service will help uses to check the car’s fuel level, lock the doors or start the air-conditioner.

It will also be able to send real-time images or video feeds from the car’s 360-degree surround-view camera directly to smart phones, tablets or laptops, though European privacy laws prevent it from directly recording the video streams.

It also adopts the full-colour Head-Up Display from the 7 Series as an option, along with a full suite of electronics-based safety systems, ranging 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 lead by the M Performance Automobiles X3 M40i, the all-wheel drive with the 3.0-litre, 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 six-cylinder diesel.

With 265kW of power at 5500rpm and 500Nm of torque from only 1520rpm, the 1810kg M40i has a restricted top speed of 250km/h, all while delivering 8.2L/100km on the NEDC combined cycle. That, and its 188g/km of CO2, make it the thirstiest of the X3’s six variants, but it’s also 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 rear-drive stance than the rest of the range.

It also uses four-piston front brake calipers and two-piston rears, variable steering and, almost incongruously, its eight-speed automatic transmission is not only controlled by paddle shifters, but the system also has an in-built launch control. All X3s use a lighter differential, while the all-wheel drive variants 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 xLine, 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 high-mounted air intake.

By retaining the rough overall dimensions of the outgoing car while fitting it with a longer wheelbase, BMW has given the X3 shorter overhangs, which should help off road (as if it’s actually relevant...). The approach angle is 25.7 degrees, the departure angle is 22.6 degrees and the ramp-over angle is 19.4 degrees.

The cheapest variant will be the sDrive20i, which is a rear-wheel drive version, ditching the expensive and heavy centre differential and front-wheel drive technology.

It will use a 1998cc four-cylinder turbo engine, with direct fuel injection, to deliver 135kW of power at 5000rpm and 290Nm of torque from 1250.

The all-wheel drive xDrive20i carries the exact same engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, and even reaches the same 215km/h top speed and hits 100km/h in the same 8.3 seconds as its rear-drive sibling.

The big difference (other than price) is that the rear-drive version consumes 7.2L/100km (and emits 165g/km of CO2) versus 7.4L/100km (and 169g/km).

The stronger xDrive30i still 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 down to 6.3 seconds to 100km/h and stretching out to 240km/h, even though it retains the same NEDC figure as the xDrive20i.

The diesel side of the range is planned to remain an all-wheel drive affair, starting with the four-cylinder 2.0-litre xDrive20d and its 1995cc engine.

It might be small, but it crunches out 400Nm of torque from 1750rpm and 140kW of power at 4000rpm to reach 100km/h in eight seconds neat, while posting an NEDC figure of just 5.0L/100km and emitting 132g/km.

The stronger of the two diesel options is the six-cylinder, 2993cc xDrive30d, with its 195kW of power and a thumping 620Nm of torque. It hustles through to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds, making it the second-fastest X3 in the line-up, 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/km, even though it sits at 1820kg.

While BMW has so far proven to the cleanest and most responsible of the premium German diesel makers, sailing through the Dieselgate scandal untouched by controversy, it has fitted both its oil squashers with an enormous array of tailpipe cleaning fixtures.

It starts with a particulate filter, then an SCR catalytic converter with AdBlue and ends with oxidation- and NOx-absorption catalysts.