Tired of seeing the new BMW X3 M50 in the Dune Grey? Honestly, so are we. Thankfully, the M Performance version is back in fresh imagery depicting the sporty crossover in a different color. Fire Red, aka Vegas Red in the United States, suits the range-topping G45 model. Yes, the M50 will be king of the hill since the Bavarians won’t do another full-fat M variant. That’s according to our sources within Munich.

Those 20-inch wheels are not the biggest you can find in the configurator since there are several 21-inch sets available as well. Not only that but the newly launched catalog of M Performance Parts for the latest X3 even includes larger 22-inch alloys. BMW’s best-selling vehicle in 2023 looks all grown up, especially in this M50 flavor with a quad exhaust system. The flagship also has a specific kidney grille design and the sporty-looking mirror caps we used to see only on true M cars.

While the exterior is largely an evolution, the cabin represents a real revolution. The pair of screens dominate a minimalist dashboard where you sadly won’t find that many shortcut buttons. Seeing the glass half full, at least the rotary knob is still there. The X3 is the only BMW with iDrive 9 and the physical dial, and we’re not sure whether there’ll be any other in the future.

The X3 M50 version we’re highlighting here doesn’t have the most daring interior. If you want something other than plain black, there’s Espresso Brown, Calm Beige, and Amber/Atlas Grey. The latter is true leather (Merino) while the first two use vegan leather, known as Veganza in the BMW jargon. Another Merino option is Black/Atlas Grey M.

As seen in some of the latest M Performance and M cars, the X3 M50 has a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a red 12 o’clock mark. With the new luxury crossover, BMW has found a new place to cram in another M badge on the center console. A lot has changed on the inside and we’ll have to wait and see whether the X3’s customer base will warm up to the simplified layout. Personally, I prefer how the G01 looked on the inside.

Americans and Europeans will be the early adopters in the final quarter of this year, with other regions to follow from January 2025.