The BMW X3 M Competition has already been revealed, so it being on hand at the Shanghai Auto Show isn’t a debut. However, it is the first time a lot of journalists and enthusiasts are seeing it in person and we think they’re going to be impressed. We were some of the lucky journalists who were able to see it i person, sit in it and poke around it during our closed room experience at The Thermal Club. I remember thinking, after sitting in the X3 M Competition, that I need me one.
Seen here on the auto show floor in Shanghai, that sentiment hasn’t left. It looks simply awesome, with its aggressive roof spoiler, big wheels and lowered ride height. It also has an awesome interior, with fantastic seats and little unique touches to make it feel more special than a standard X3. For awhile, many M cars felt barely any more special on the inside than their normal counterparts. The X3 M, though, looks like the boss of the X3 family from inside.
Under the hood of the BMW X3 M lies a 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged I6, internally known as ‘S58’, and it’s based off of the B58 I6 currently used in almost every BMW model. In regular spec, it makes about 473 hp but in Competition spec, the one we see here, it makes a whopping 503 hp. We loved the X3 M40i with its 355 hp. Crank that to 503 hp and we’ll be asking where we sign.
It’s going to need that power, though. As soon as it goes on sale, it’s going to compete with the Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, both of which make just over 500 hp as well. I’ve personally driven the Alfa and have taken a shotgun ride in the X3 M Competition on track and I can tell you that they’re both insanely fast for SUVs. This is going to be fun.
