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NEWS
SPY PICS: BMW X4 spotted again
Bavarian carmaker applies the finishing touches to its upcoming sporty compact SUVBMW’s upcoming X4 compact SUV has again been spied testing, this time in what looks to be virtually production-ready trim at the Nurburgring.
Previewed in concept form at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year, the showroom-spec vehicle is likely to be publically revealed either later this year, or in early 2014 at the Detroit motor show.
As per its X3, X5 and X6 siblings, the X4 will be built at BMW’s North American production facility in Spartanburg, North Carolina. The company recently announced an investment of $US900 million in the plant, which will enable it to churn out 350,000 cars annually to cater to demand for the quartet of ‘X’ vehicles.
BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer was recently quoted as saying: “We created the premium Sports Activity Vehicle segment. Until then there were no all-wheel-drive cars on the roads that were so sporty. From the late 1990s to date, we have sold over 2.7 million BMW X models. Next year we will expand our offering in this segment with the BMW X4.”
Sharing its platform with the X3, the newcomer will be pitched as a rival to Range Rover’s Evoque, as well as the upcoming Porsche Macan.
The accompanying Automedia images reveal the X4 has similar proportions to its X6 sibling, albeit in downsized form. The face is more raked-back than that of the X3, while the heavily tapered roofline is pure X6.
Given that it must compete against the Macan, which by all accounts will be a dynamic benchmark-setter, the X4 is expected to offer car-like grip and handling levels despite its high-riding stance. Aiding in this regard are wider tracks than that of the X3 from which it’s derived.
The engine line-up is expected to mirror that of the X3, with the petrol line-up including the X4 xDrive28i, powered a 177kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, and the X4 xDrive35i, which will be propelled by the company’s 225kW turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six.
There will, of course, also be an extensive range of diesels to cater to the European and Asian markets, and a plug-in hybrid version is also reportedly under development.
– with Automedia
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Written byGautam Sharma
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