What's the news?
BMW has announced that it is doing high-power versions of its X3 SUV, to sit above the M40i, which is the current performance flagship. The X3 M and X3 M Performance promise to take the fight to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
Exterior
The X3 M is quite understated, not looking hugely more muscular than the 340hp X3 M40i variant it outclasses. It does have large air intakes in the front bumper, Air Breathers with M gills aft of the front wheels, its own specific design for the exterior mirrors, a different lower bumper arrangement to house the quad exhaust pipes, a roof spoiler and 20-inch M light-alloy wheels. The X3 M Competition features black model badging, gloss-black mirrors and kidney grilles, 21-inch M rims and an M Sport exhaust system. An optional M Carbon exterior package should be offered later in 2019, while the Competition gains two bespoke, metallic colours - Toronto Red and Donington Grey.
Interior
Like the outside, the interior is jazzed up, without being too showy about it. There's an M-specific instrument cluster for the X3 M twins, as well as an M leather steering wheel with shift paddles and M buttons, an M gear lever, a red start/stop button and interior 'Aluminium carbon' trim strips. The X3 M has Vernasca leather trim with an M-specific design, while the Competition gains bucket-style M Sport seats with extended Merino upholstery and the option of an illuminated M logo. The full BMW ConnectedDrive Professional Navigation system is chucked in, too.
Mechanicals
Both variants of the X3 M use a twin-turbo, 3.0-litre, straight-six petrol engine. In the M, it delivers 480hp with 600Nm, while the Competition's power output is pushed up to 510hp (peak torque is unchanged). Both models are claimed to do up to 10.5 litres/100km (26.9mpg) and emit 239g/km of CO2, with power going to all four wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic and rear-biased M xDrive all-wheel drive. The X3 M models are fitted with an Active M Differential, M-specific suspension with electronically controlled dampers, M-specific steering and M compound brakes. Performance is understandably brisk - the X3 M runs 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds, while the 510hp version trims a tenth from that time for a 4.1-second sprint. Both models are limited to 250km/h, with an option to lift that limit to 280km/h with the M Driver's Package.
Anything else?
BMW has also announced that an X4 M and X4 M Competition will go into production, using the same hardware as the X3 M twins.