Over in the United States, the all-new X3 comes in either 30 xDrive or M50 xDrive forms, with prices kicking off at $49,500 and $64,100, respectively. Back home in Germany, the most spartan G45 available is dubbed 20 xDrive, and boy does it look strange without optional styling upgrades.
Thankfully, BMW can improve this fellow by means of the M Sportpaket or M Sportpaket Pro. As opposed to the standard configuration's 57,900 euros, which means 61,990 dollars at current exchange rates, the M versions are listed at €61,600 and €65,230 (around $65,950 and $69,840).
What do you get for said cash? For starters, the only no-additional-charge paint color is white. As for the xDrive system, bear in mind that its predecessor came with rear-wheel drive by default. Expected to enter series production sometime in September 2024 for the 2025 model year, the new X3 further sweetens the deal in Econeer upholstery, which is nothing more than a textile-based composite that contains a helluva lot of recycled materials.
18-inch alloy wheels, meaty tires, and base LED exterior lighting also need to be mentioned, along with automatic tailgate operation, comfort access, BMW Operating System 9 with navigation, three-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats with memory for the driver, wireless charging tray, Driving Assistant, and Parking Assistant. Given the aforementioned, the ideal X3 20 xDrive build is likely to include optional Veganza or Individual Merino upholstery. They retail at €800 and €3,300, respectively, in Germany.
The first M package makes a world of difference over the standard X3 20 xDrive by means of M High-Gloss Shadow Line goodies, M suspension, and 19-inch light alloys. Inside, you'll find a combination of Veganza and Alcantara, aluminum trim pieces, a sportier wheel, and an anthracite headliner to boot. Going for the second M Package is totally worth it due to extended M High-Gloss Shadow Line content, the BMW Iconic Glow package, plus M Shadow Line lights.
Photo: BMW
Under the hood, you'll find a mild-hybrid turbo four with a displacement of 2.0 liters, connected to ZF's well-known 8HP automatic transmission. 153 kW or 208 ps and 330 Nm are the numbers advertised by the folks at BMW Deutschland, meaning 205 horsepower and 243 pound-feet. By comparison, the 2.0-liter unit in the X3 30 xDrive for the US of A makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm).
The Bavarian manufacturer quotes 7.8 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour), meaning that it's around 7.6 from standstill to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour). America's X3 30 xDrive is apparently capable of hitting 60 miles per hour in 6.0 seconds flat.
Regarding the mild-hybrid tech of the four-cylinder turbo, we're dealing with a crankshaft-mounted starter generator that provides up to 13 kW/18 ps/17 horsepower and 200 Nm/147 pound-feet. Give it the beans, and the X3 20 xDrive will be much obliged to reach 215 kilometers per hour (134 miles per hour) on the Autobahn.
Another powertrain the US will never get is the 20d xDrive, with the lowercase d obviously meaning diesel. Less powerful than its gas-fueled cousin, the 2.0-liter turbo diesel has the upper hand in terms of torque: 400 Nm or 295 pound-feet.
At the other end of the spectrum, European customers are presented with either the 30e xDrive plug-in hybrid or the M50 xDrive mild hybrid. The former promises 81 to 90 kilometers (50 to 56 miles) of electric range from a high-voltage battery with a net capacity of 19.7 kilowatt hours. The M Performance thriller pumps out 293 kW/398 ps/393 horsepower and needs 4.6 seconds to reach 100 clicks instead of 6.2 for the plug-in hybrid.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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