LISBON, Portugal – Not always a fan of car designer speak, especially when delving into topics such as “sculpted crease lines” and “emotive surfacing”, I really like head designer, Calvin Luk’s summed-up description of his latest creation, the all-new BMW X3. Standing alongside him at the international launch of the third-generation of one of the most important models in BMW’s current portfolio, Australian Luk says he views the new (G01) X3 as a rugby player dressed in a fitted suit. And, while it helps that it’s the sportiest version of the new range, the X3 M40i, that we’re staring at at the time, I do tend to agree with his observation.
Within what is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested segment battles of recent times, the new BMW X3 is, alongside the likes of the Jaguar F-Pace, setting its stall out to be one of the most dynamic-looking options available. Built on BMW’s new larger but lighter CLAR platform, the third-generation X3 is only marginally longer and wider (though lower) than the model it replaces, yet viewed in the metal you immediately get the sense that the brief was to make the vehicle look bolder and more athletic that before. As such, the company’s signature grille is that much more pronounced, the roof line is that much more swept and the bonnet creases are that much more appreciable. In the first ever M Performance X3, it’s a package granted even more presence by bespoke bumper treatments (front and rear), neat Cerium Grey highlighting (including side mirrors), tailpipe dimension upgrade and 20-inch alloy wheels.
Serving as a constant reminder of that bold exterior styling, the aforementioned bonnet creases (similar to those on the larger X5) are a prominent sight from behind the steering wheel of the new X3. While the M40i’s cabin is lifted with appropriate touches such as sports seats and chrome accenting, like the exterior package, the new X3’s cabin as a whole feels far more svelte and leaner in its application than before. Certainly the adoption of a new platform (and, accordingly, a 50 mm longer wheelbase) has freed up valuable interior space, but you do also get the sense of a greater emphasis placed on ergonomics in the new car. More sculpted than in the previous model, the fact that the centre console is fashioned to face the driver’s seat is immediately obvious. A welcome inclusion in the new interior package is the presence of a more front-and-centre (10,2-inch) infotainment display that now offers touchscreen (yes, as well as gesture control) functionality. To this end, build quality and the use of materials also appears to have been a key focus of attention when designing the new car – a standard that the workforce at Rosslyn will be looking forward to replicating once production of the new X3 begins in South Africa in 2018.
As aggressive as the new X3 M40i looks, its exhaust note (even in default mode) is arranged to do those looks justice. Powered by a (B58) turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, the M40i fires to life with all the verve and purpose of a modern hyper-hatch. And it’s a feeling that never really leaves. Boasting 265 kW and a sturdy 500 N.m from just 1 400 r/min, the newest member of the M Performance portfolio always feels tightly wound up and ready for action. It’s this fact that perhaps most distinguishes the fastest X3 to date from the likes of the new Audi SQ5, the Ingolstadt model offering a somewhat more convincing dual personality.
That said, I have a feeling the SQ5 would have a tough time keeping pace with the X3 M40i over a mountain pass, such is the dynamic ability (highlighted by excellent body control and hot hatch-like turn-in precision) offered by the BMW. While an adaptive suspension setup is optional, the M40i comes standard with M Sport brakes and suspension arrangements as well as an xDrive all-wheel-drive setup tuned for a more pronounced rearwards bias. Tune all the systems, including the excellent eight-speed automatic transmission, to Sport mode and a bonus feature is a smile-inducing cacophony of exhaust pipe pops and crackles on the overrun; not something obviously associated with a school-run SUV.
Indeed, as a family friendly SUV with the heart of a hot hatch, the new BMW X3 M40i may be the most unapologetically brash contender in this segment. But it is afforded this attitude by the fact that the vehicle it’s based on appears to be very well sorted in terms of overall balance, poise and precision. While its bolder styling, compared with the likes of, say, the forthcoming Volvo XC60, will arguably narrow its broad appeal, based on first impressions the new BMW X3, with its sharp new interior packaging and the kind of built-in dynamics that has won BMW so many fans to date, it looks destined to hit the ground running in its latest tussle for segment dominance.
