Here’s what you can expect from BMW’s best seller.
BMW’s best-selling product in the US, the X3, just received a facelift for the 2022 model year along with its sibling, the X4. Despite only being one year in to its latest update and getting no changes for 2023, our spy photographers already spotted a camouflaged X3 prototype gearing up for its next major milestone. The disguised BMW X3 pictured here is likely the 2024 or 2025 model, which will act as the model’s fourth generation. BMW released the third-generation X3 back in 2017, so the timing seems right for an all-new model.
Judging by the quad exhaust tips and other exterior elements, these test mules are the M Performance models, not the full-on next-generation X3 M. BMW currently calls this model the X3 M40i, though the nomenclature could change. The current M40i gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system producing 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
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It’s unclear if BMW will stray away from the inline-six in the new X3, as rivals like Mercedes-AMG downsize to smaller four-cylinder powertrains with hybrid assistance. BMW is rumored to build engines with more lightweight materials, improving fuel economy and lowering carbon emissions. These are only the first spy shots we’ve seen of the next-gen X3, but we suspect to see some electrified models ranging from plug-in hybrids up to full electrics soon.
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In terms of styling, the new X3 looks like it will get a larger kidney grill, but not like the current 4 Series. Instead of extending vertically, the X3’s nostrils will grow horizontally, possibly making them look less controversial. All of the lights on these prototypes are provisional, meaning they are subject to change before production. Judging from what we can see though, the X3 may not receive the same split headlight design as the latest X7 and 7 Series flagships.
We expect to see more spy shots in the coming months, but a full reveal is likely a few years away.
