BMW opens performance SUV floodgates

BMW Australia is facing another year of declining sales, but the prestige importer is attempting to stem the loss with an 'M' SUV shot in the arm.

At the local launch of the new BMW X4 this week, Product & Pricing Manager Ryan Begg listed a number of SUVs that promise to turn the ship around this year and in 2019. M Performance models in the various product lines will be key to that.

"Australians love performance cars," Begg said. "Anyone who likes driving knows that our M Cars are really well regarded in terms of their driving dynamics."

Begg cited cars like the BMW X3 M40i which is now joined by the X4 counterpart as important elements.

"We also have another exciting addition to the M Performance portfolio; that's the first ever X2 M35i," Begg continued.

"Being an SAC [Sports Activity Coupe] it's a little bit more of a command driving position, but we're seeing things like M Sport seats coming through, being available for the first time – offering really nice lateral support and also comfort...

Begg says that the BMW X2 M35i, which is scheduled to launch here during the first quarter of next year, will be all-wheel drive with a front-mounted limited-slip differential and powered by a 225kW/470Nm four-cylinder engine displacing 2.0 litres.

"The X2 M35i is going to sprint [from] 0-100km/h in under five seconds."

In mid-November this year, BMW Australia will launch the new X5, which has been at or near the top of the local product portfolio for sales in the past. Although Begg made no mention of it during his presentation, it's understood the X5 range will expand with the later introduction of a BMW X5 M variant.

Joining the range sooner will be a new plug-in variant, the BMW X5 xDrive45e. Replacing the current generation X5 xDrive40e, the new variant offers increased battery capacity for much improved electric-mode range and an inline six-cylinder engine to keep the new model's battery pack charged on the move. Output is 290kW/600Nm and the plug-in X5 will complete the 0-100km/h run in 5.6 seconds. According to Begg, the official combined-cycle fuel consumption is 2.1L/100km. Based on WLTP testing, the range is expected to be around 60km in the real world.

Begg told motoring.com.au that the rationale for the migration from four-cylinder to six-cylinder power in the plug-in SUV was in response to customer demand for increased straight-line performance.

"It's to make it more dynamic – give the customers what they want," he said. "Obviously it's got added weight as well, thanks to the increased battery capacity...

"It gives you the best of both worlds, given the full-electric range has increased."

Begg says that the BMW X3 M and X4 M announced last week will arrive in Australia some time in 2019.

BMW isn't entirely reliant on big-engined SUVs, the company is also looking forward to the M2 Competition (coming late October/early November) and M5 Competition models, plus next year's Z4, 8 Series and X7.

Last year BMW sales slid backwards by over 4400 units, felt mostly with the aging 3 Series, which is due for replacement next year. But the 3 Series is just a symptom of a broader malaise, with sales tumbling in 2017 for all models other than the brand-new 5 Series, the 6 Series GT and the i3 electric car.

For the year to date in 2018, sales are continuing to decline, but are levelling out, with the X2 and X3 reducing the slump. The X4 will pull out of a dive once the current model runout is complete and deliveries of the new model commence.

In the meantime BMW will have to soldier on with one of its most popular models – the X5 – in runout and not due for replacement until year's end.