Ballistic pace, balanced persona – the BMW X3 M50 sets the benchmark. Here is the verdict of our Road Test.
Looking for a new or used vehicle? Find it here with CARmag!
BMW X3 M50 Fast Facts
- Price: R1 545 477
- 0-100 km/h: 4.61 seconds
- Top speed: 250 km/h
- Power: 293 kW
- Torque: 580 N.m
- CAR fuel index: 9.84 L/100 km
- CO2: 187 g/km
We’ve been saying it for some time now, but the margins separating BMW’s M Performance and M models have become increasingly razor-thin, potentially raising questions regarding the relevance of divvying up the performance end of each. This may go some way to explaining why BMW presently hasn’t any plans to launch a G45 X3 M (never say never, though), instead placing the M50 at the head of the range. Having spent some time in its company, and recalling our experience with its most powerful predecessor, we’re beginning to understand why. In what’s as much an exercise in fond nostalgia as it is a frame of reference, we looked back at our last outing with BMW’s then-apex X3 – the M Competition – during the 2020 Performance Shootout. We were certainly taken with the BMW on that trip, where its ability to slingshot out of corners and thrill with the sledgehammer powder delivery from its performance-tuned engine gained it plenty of plaudits with the CAR team.
Related: All-New Honda Amaze Lands in SA – Pricing and Spec
On paper, the 375 kW and 600 N.m outputs of the Competition’s performance-tuned 3.0-litre inline-six engine (in this case, the twin-turbo S58 that currently services the Competition-spec M3 and M4, among others) leave the M50’s B58 single-turbo in the shade. But while the M’s straight-line grunt was remarkable, cracking 0-100 km/h in just 4.44 seconds, we can only surmise there’s some sort of witchcraft afoot in BMW’s engineering division to squeeze the sort of performance they have out of the M50. Our testing saw the ‘lesser’ M hit 100 km/h from standstill in 4.61 seconds, and the quarter mile in 12.63 seconds, respective gaps just 0.17- and 0.10-seconds shy of the 82 kW-up Competition.
There were some understandably confused reactions from the CAR test team when the M50’s performance figures were mined from the V-Box telemetry system, because – for all its ballistic straight-line pace – the M50 ably conceals its muscle under the very civilised guise. While there are some visual hints of this model’s performance credentials, a deeper bumper with contrasting trim here and a badge there, the only real giveaways are a quartet of purposeful-looking exhaust tips peeping out of the rear valance and our car’s optional 21-inch rims. It’s a similar story inside, where the sports seats are more form-hugging than love handle-squeezing, and the sporty M trim bits are subtly applied to a cabin that’s just as well-insulated from noise, solidly built (bar some scratchy door plastics) and practically proportioned as anything else in the X3 range.
Related: Toyota Celebrates 40 Years at Le Mans With Throwback Liveries
But it’s not just the optics that can deceive. The way that AWD system effortlessly pastes all that performance onto the tarmac is remarkable. Where the Competition’s ride quality erred on the lumpy side and it tended to tug at its leash when provoked, the M50 is altogether more balanced, lending a pleasing duality to its nature. Oddly, in terms of on-road refinement, it’s probably the pick of the X3 litter; even the softly spoken plug-in hybrid 30e isn’t quite as hushed as the M50 once its battery is drained and the four-cylinder chips in. At speed, the inline-six is a distant murmur – only treating you to throaty snarl and hint of induction whistle when jabbing the throttle. BMW’s M adaptive suspension is standard fitment on this model, and while such systems typically tend to become flummoxed by rippled road surfaces or big bumps, this setup proved impressively resolved, neatly treading the line between poised and forgiving. The standard-fitment variable sports steering strikes a similarly impressive balance between settled and sporty, proving light but not numb at lower speeds and weighting up nicely when pressing on. Throw the M50 at a twisting road, and its fluid chassis and plentiful shove make it both entertaining and effortless to pilot. There’s no hint of nose-heaviness on tight turn-ins, plentiful grip allied with communicative steering and chassis setup, and lateral movement is neatly reined in under abrupt directional changes. The engine’s power delivery is smooth and linear to the extent that it initially feels as though the M50 isn’t that fast. Even when utilising the ‘Boost’ function accessed via the left shift paddle, which switches the drivetrain settings to full attack, there isn’t a sense of all hell about to break loose. The engine note hardens as a couple of gears are dropped, the throttle becomes more alert – but hardly a hair trigger – and you can effortlessly dip into the M50’s deep well of torque as you surge past slower traffic.
There will no doubt be those saddened by the prospect of the accomplished G45 X3 not spawning a full-fat M model, and while that development may change in due course, the diminishing gap between then and M Performance models such as this M50 could bring into question just whether such model divisions need to exist. Yes, purists that enjoy being challenged (dare we say intimidated) by their cars won’t warm to the M50’s balanced persona, but they’re likely in the minority now. This car’s ability to calm and entertain in equal measure, while all but reeling in M models must be admired and only furthers the sense of accomplished diversity in the new X3 range.
Find the full feature in the June 2025 issue of CAR Magazine.
Click here and browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag!
