Photo: CarPix
Slated to be released in the latter half of 2017 as a 2018 model year in the United States, the next generation of the BMW X3 will be better than the current one in every aspect. Spoiler alert: apparently, the rumor mill insists there will be an X3 M too.
The first spy photographs to showcase the interior of the G01 BMW X3 won’t disappoint those in the market for the compact crossover. See the half-analogue, half-digital instrument cluster? Those come from the upcoming BMW 5 Series. Another thing that caught our attention is the free-standing touchscreen infotainment system that sits atop the angled center console. This is a change I welcome over the current BMW X3’s dash incorporated screen.
Moving on to the exterior of the G01 BMW X3, the fabric cladding hides a more svelte body shell with headlights designed after those of the X5 and a rear end inspired by that of the X1. Peel off the sheet metal and you’re left with what BMW calls the CLAR platform, a vehicle architecture that will be shared with the next-generation 3 Series. The CLuster ARchitecture will see the BMW X3 lose up to 220 lbs (100 kg) compared to the current generation, a sizable diet that will pay dividends in handling and fuel economy.
The CLAR platform will also see the arrival of a plug-in hybrid X3, one that will combine a 2.0-liter turbo-4 with an electric motor just like the 330e does. More conventional engine options will include the popular B48 and B58, as well as a water-injected inline-6 for the yet-to-be-confirmed X3 M variant. A less hell-bent for leather model will arrive in the form of the X3 M Performance. Another variant we should look forward to is a performance-oriented diesel developed to compete against the Audi SQ5 plus.
As for the G02 generation of the BMW X4, that's earmarked to debut in 2018.
Moving on to the exterior of the G01 BMW X3, the fabric cladding hides a more svelte body shell with headlights designed after those of the X5 and a rear end inspired by that of the X1. Peel off the sheet metal and you’re left with what BMW calls the CLAR platform, a vehicle architecture that will be shared with the next-generation 3 Series. The CLuster ARchitecture will see the BMW X3 lose up to 220 lbs (100 kg) compared to the current generation, a sizable diet that will pay dividends in handling and fuel economy.
The CLAR platform will also see the arrival of a plug-in hybrid X3, one that will combine a 2.0-liter turbo-4 with an electric motor just like the 330e does. More conventional engine options will include the popular B48 and B58, as well as a water-injected inline-6 for the yet-to-be-confirmed X3 M variant. A less hell-bent for leather model will arrive in the form of the X3 M Performance. Another variant we should look forward to is a performance-oriented diesel developed to compete against the Audi SQ5 plus.
As for the G02 generation of the BMW X4, that's earmarked to debut in 2018.
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