BMW X3 Beats Audi Q5 quattro

If you were a footballer with a diamond earring, a Dolce & Gabbana shirt and had whitened teeth, you couldn’t go wrong with the BMW X5. It would be a shame though, as the X5 is the most uncompromising offroader of the on-road SUVs. When it launched the first generation of X3, the Bavarian company hoped to tap it’s newly built reputation as a 4X4 builder with a direct competitor for Land Rover’s Freelander.

The car however was a complete flop, as it was too small to appeal to soccer-moms doing the school run, not very good as a car and most of all not as good at offroading as it’s competitors.

So, with the new 2011 model, BMW wanted to prove that its all-wheel-drive (xDrive) system is better then the X3’s direct competitor, the Audi Q5. Consequently, a test was organized in order to showcase its new model's capabilities.

The test, involving the Audi Q5 quattro and BMW X3 xDrive, was done using a special ramp that tilts, allowing the SUVs to lose front wheel and then rear wheel traction. Amazingly, the Q5 equipped with a quattro system struggled up the ramp, while the xDrive system in the X3 seamed to have no trouble at all.

However, we can't exactly start shouting that the X3 is a better off-roader than the Q5, as the conditions of the test (such as the type of tires used by each vehicle) are unclear. Yes, we've noticed the Xdrive "badging" on the ramp, but this doesn't make the test impartial or official.

The 2011 BMW X3 will cost between $37,625 (EUR 27,185) for the basic xDrive28i that comes with 240 hp, to $41,925 (EUR 30,165) for the 300 hp xDrive35i. Cool features on the new car include ConnectDrive, a system that comprises a rear-view camera, mobile phone connectivity and satellite navigation system.

Of course, the people who buy German SUVs don't care about offroading, but it's good to know that this kind of vehicles has what it takes to tacke certain types of rough terrain.