Unlike what we’ve seen yesterday, when a Convertible MINI JCW model was spotted going for what looked like a stroll on the Nurburgring, today we’re bringing you a video of the 2017 BMW X3 being pushed to the limit. The Green Hell has been BMW’s testing ground for quite some time now and the upcoming G01 X3 is apparently not going to be any different.
As you can see in the clip posted below, the car does show some body roll but not as much as you’d expect from a mid-size SUV. Therefore, the CLAR architecture is actually showing its effects on the new X3, apparently shaving some serious weight off its waist. According to sources inside BMW, the Germans are looking to put the family car through a diet so that it sips less fuel while also improving its handling. Thanks to their Cluster Architecture, the X3 will also be highly modular, sharing its engines with the rest of the range.
Speaking of which, the top shelf choice will be a new model, that will be using the B58 3-liter turbocharged straight six mill found on the 340i models today. With 340 HP the xDrive M40i will be a similar offering as what the current X4 M40i is bringing to the table today. Thanks to the new engine though, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will be reduced considerably.
Other models to be sold in the US will include the sDrive30i and xDrive30i models, both powered by 2-liter 4-cylinder mills, the plug-in hybrid xDrive30e as well as a possible diesel choice in the shape of the xDrive30d. In Europe, the range will include more 2-liter mills for entry-level choices, the most popular one probably remaining the xDrive20d model.
Sources are also claiming that BMW is working on a proper M model that would be using the S55 engine from the BMW M3/M4 duo. While this remains to be confirmed, the competition the X3 would go up against doesn’t provide a valid argument as to why this could happen. Audi is only rumored to be working on an RS Q5 model while Mercedes-Benz has only the GLC43 AMG version to brag with in this segment, a model that can easily be rivaled by the M40i X3 without the adage of a proper M powerplant under the hood. The mystery shouldn’t continue for long though, as the current F25 X3 is scheduled to go out of production in July 2017 which leaves less than a year until we get to see how the new X3 will look like.
