BMW’s recent unveiling of the Neue Klasse X concept showed us how the BMW iX3 is set to radically progress in 2025.
The heavy focus on the electric SUV doesn’t mean Munich is abandoning the combustion-engined BMW X3 any time soon, though. On the contrary: as petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid cars continue to take the majority of the brand’s sales, it will send its most popular model into a fourth generation at the end of this year.
The new X3 uses the same CLAR platform as before, so it’s not an entirely new car but a development of its seven-year-old predecessor. Nevertheless, says project leader Martin Delitz: “We’ve re-engineered many elements, including the chassis, to give it an even broader range of driving characteristics and added ride comfort. The electric architecture is also new, allowing us to offer more efficient drivetrain options as well as more advanced driver assistance systems.”
Even with wraps disguising the exteriors of our high-mileage durability prototypes, it’s clearly a bolder-looking car, with a wider kidney grille, a higher front end, pronounced wheel arches and a more sloped roof – but not one akin to the Neue Klasse X, indicating that the X3 and iX3 will notably diverge.
At 4755mm long and 1920mm wide now, the X3 has grown by a respective 42mm and 23mm. Its height, however, has been reduced from 1676mm to 1660mm. Despite the lengthening, the wheelbase remains at 2865mm, but the front and rear tracks are a bit wider.
Inside, there’s a new-look dashboard with a display panel housing the digital instruments and infotainment. This uses BMW’s latest Android-based operating system, OS9, but pleasingly keeps the iDrive rotary controller.
It also adopts the same steering wheel that was introduced on the latest 5 Series, with its simplified controls.
The centre console has also been redesigned, gaining a toggle-style gear selector and a large bin that houses a phone charging pad, cupholders and two USB-C ports.
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One day a major car company will resist the temptation to make every successive new model even bigger than its predecessor. It's a form of idleness and simply demonstrates a lack of design ability, confidence and responsibility.
Did you spend the past 18months telling us this was going to be styled like the neue klasse concept?
This is the internal combustion engine variant of the new X3, which retains traditional styling, not far removed from the current X3 and X1.
The electric-only iX3 (which will come almost a year after the ICE version) will be the one styled like the Neue Klasse X.
Thanks, I shouldve read the article!
So BMW had a massive headstart with EVs on bespoke platforms, flipped to EV versions of their ICE models, and now are flopping back to bespoke EV models again?..