Design, technology and comfort. These are the three ingredients used to renew the BMW X3, Sport Activity Vehicle whose dynamic qualities we have been able to appreciate on the winding roads of the Tuscan Apennines. The pencils of the Bavarian manufacturer’s designers, led by Jozef Kaban and Adrian van Hooydonk, have done a complete make-over of the styling of this car’s exterior and interior.
At the front, the kidney grille immediately makes the car recognisable as a true BMW, while the fog light housing was designed along hexagonal lines. Athleticism and dynamism are strongly accentuated by the rear spoiler, the new design of the wheels (standard 18 inches) and the twin exhaust terminal.
In the interior we find the family feeling typical of Group cars, a result of the driver-oriented instrumentation and great ergonomics. The predominant shapes here too are hexagonal, with stylistic touches differing in accordance with the four trim variants available (Business Advantage, X-Line, Luxury or M-Sport). The picture is completed by quality materials, space on board and exceptionally quiet running, improved on the previous version due to the extra window thickness. The dashboard is modern, with the 10.25-inch floating navigator screen and Gesture Control (both optional) in the centre, while the physical air conditioning controls, lower down, have been redesigned to improve intuitive operation.
In the interests of safety, you can purchase the Driver Assistance Plus, a package containing, among other things, the lane-departure warning system, the front and side collision protection system, and the obstacle detection and avoidance system with active steering intervention. At its launch, the X3 is offered with a petrol engine, the top of the M40i range with 360 bhp, and two diesel engines, the 20d delivering 190 bhp and the 30d in two power variants of 249 and 265 bhp, all equipped with the BMW XDrive all-wheel drive system.
