It seems BMW has been working overtime lately, with not just the 5 Series that’s set to arrive soon, but also with the new Mini Cooper, and the new-gen 1 Series that is unlikely to ever return. And now there’s this; the 2024 BMW X3, which was previewed by the Neue Klasse SUV Concept sometime last year.
Some might say the elements of the kidney grille look like a certain CPU case, but what matters is that the 2024 BMW X3 really pops out in the pictures and it’s very likely to do the same in the flesh too. It gets this new mini-XM look with the new design language. The kidney grille now happens to be illuminated, the front bumper gets even larger air intakes now, the headlights have become more fluid and sleek than the outgoing car. There are two creases on the profile, one running along the shoulder-line while the other runs on the lower-half of the doors. The door-handles, again, bear the family identity and appear similar to what we’ve seen on the new 5 Series. The square-ish roofline towards the rear gives off XM vibes, especially with the number plate having moved down, and then you have the new T-shaped tail lights.
The 2024 X3 has also grown in size too, being 34 mm longer and 29 mm wider than before, while height has dropped down to 25 mm, and BMW says the new X3 gets wider tracks as well. Thus, the measurements now stand at 4755 mm length, 1920 mm width, and 1660 mm height.
Globally, the BMW X3 receives a choice of petrol, diesel and, even plug-in hybrids. However, the hybrids are unlikely to make it here. Let’s focus on the meatier bits then. There’s an M50 xDrive variant with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo, which churns out 392 bhp and 59.14 kgm of torque, channelled to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. Then there are also the regular 2.0-litre four-cylinder mills, both petrol and diesel.
The interiors are completely all-new as well, receiving angular, sharp elements, and ambient lighting panels inspired by the new 5 Series LWB. The flat-bottomed steering, wheel, curved display screen, and the area towards the A/C vents will feel familiar, and the lower centre console mimics the design of the grille elements. The iDrive system runs on BMW OS 9, and you now get the option of playing in-car games via the AirConsole platform.
When is BMW bringing the new X3 to India? Given that the new 5 Series is confirmed for a July launch, and the new Mini Cooper that is also set to follow, the new X3 is likely to arrive towards the end of the year, but we won’t be surprised if BMW does things quicker than expected.
