The prototype BMW X3, which was spotted in Germany, is anticipated to start production in the United States in 2024.
According to images of a carefully camouflaged prototype spotted in Germany, the fourth-generation BMW X3 compact crossover will have the brand’s larger iconic kidney grille and slimmer LED lighting.
The X3 accounted for 21.4% of all sales in the first half of 2022, making it BMW’s second-best-selling vehicle in the United States.
According to AutoForecast Solutions, the revamped model would begin production in August 2024 at BMW’s factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with U.S. deliveries starting in late 2024.
The forthcoming BMW X3 will be available in a variety of configurations worldwide, including all-electric, plug-in hybrid, and M performance models.
Uncertainty surrounds whether BMW will produce the battery-powered iX3 of the future on the Cluster Architecture platform of the present model or wait until the carmaker introduces the all-electric Neue Klasse architecture in 2025.
The company’s EV sales will increase thanks in large part to the Neue Klasse platform, according to Oliver Zipse, CEO of the BMW Group. It is a significant advance in technology.
The X3 received an update last summer to give it a more rugged and sporting appearance. The SUV was upgraded with a new, larger kidney-shaped grille from BMW as well as revised front and rear bumpers, exhaust trim, and tail lights.
In order to streamline the X3’s powertrain for 2022, BMW eliminated the xDrive30e plug-in hybrid in the U.S., leaving only the four-cylinder sDrive30i and xDrive30i trims and the six-cylinder M40i trim.
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BMW X3 spy images: first appearance of redesigned SUV
For the first time, a prototype of the revamped BMW X3 has been spotted. The fourth generation of the best-selling marque will be represented by the new crossover.
A mid-cycle update for 2022 was given to the existing X3, which debuted in 2017 as the 2018 model year. According to BMW history, the revamped X3 should debut in 2024 as a 2025 model. About a year following this X3, a redesign of the associated X4 should be released.
Despite the prototype’s extensive camouflage, we can tell that it will have proportions that are extremely close to those of the current generation, but slightly more rounded. Although the camouflage gear has been used to make the grille look identical to the grille on the existing X3 model, the outline of the headlamps can plainly be seen and the grille appears to be adopting a taller design.
We can’t spot the interior but an uncluttered dash with floating screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment center should be present, as seen in the latest BMWs including the recently redesigned 2023 3-Series.
Rear-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive option will be standard on the platform, which will be an upgraded version of the CLAR design used in the present X3. Look for turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 and 3.0-liter inline-6 engines, in both cases with standard mild-hybrid technology. Additionally, plug-in hybrid power will be available, possibly even in the next X3 M.
Outside of the United States, the current X3 provides an electric iX3 option. While the current iX3 is built on a modified version of the CLAR platform, the successor, which should debut in the United States in 2025, is anticipated to be built on the Neue Klasse dedicated EV platform developed by BMW Group. The upcoming 3-Series is anticipated to come in an electric variant as the first model.
The BMW Group plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where the current X3 is made, will produce the new X3. The BMW Group plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where Neue Klasse automobiles will be produced, may also produce the electrified model.
BMW won’t want to take any chances with the X3. BMW sold 75,858 units in the United States alone in 2021, making it the brand’s most well-liked car in this country.
Next-Generation BMW X3 Renderings Gallery
The images show a new grille up front, which is surrounded by shorter headlights and sits underneath a new hood. Below all of that is a new front bumper with a much more aggressive shape than the existing face. A redesigned rear bumper and thinner taillights are present on the back.
The crossover’s size is one thing that the renderings are unable to depict. The spy photos gave the impression that the new X3 might be bigger than the present model, but we’ll need to measure it to be sure. The interior, which our spy photographers were unable to picture, is another area that is still a mystery. However, we anticipate BMW to install its most recent iDrive 8 infotainment system and its dash-spanning screen, similar to what is provided in the new iX.
We don’t anticipate BMW to show this new X3 until at least next year, so it’s way too soon to know about the powertrains. In addition to the all-electric iX3, BMW is anticipated to offer a variety of gasoline, diesel, and electrified engines. Since spy photos showed the crossover with four exhaust points sticking from the back, we know BMW will offer an M40i variant.
We don’t think the next-generation model will make its debut before BMW updates the X3 for the 2022 model year. Before a presentation, it might take more than a year, and BMW might even delay the introduction until early 2024. The redesigned X3 might not arrive in US dealerships until the 2025 model year.
First-Ever Images Of The Next-Generation 2025 BMW X3 Looking Like A Larger X1
[UPDATE: The story has been updated with images of a different prototype that, based on the smaller-diameter wheels and the concealed exhaust pipe, looks to be the base-spec X3. We also catch our first glance of the dashboard, which is comparable to the current BMW lineup and features a fully digital cockpit.
A disguised prototype of the SUV, which our undercover photographers captured for the first time as it was being transported, serves as proof that BMW is already working on the next-generation X3.
The prototype appears to be sporting the production body of the fourth generation of the X3, which is apparently still in the early phases of development. The new car has similar-looking headlamps and a well-known windowline to the previously unveiled 2023 BMW X1, giving it the appearance of a bigger sibling.
It’s reassuring to see that BMW’s iconic linked kidney grille doesn’t appear to be much larger than the current X3; in fact, we think it might even be a little bit smaller, at least on this early prototype. The shape is still recognizable, but it now features smoother surface, more pronounced front and rear fenders, and slightly boxier wheelarches comparable to its forerunner. A fresh set of alloy wheels with a more intricate variation of the traditional five-spoke design can also be seen.
The model’s distinctive LED taillights are concealed by what appear to be false taillights at the rear. We anticipated them to resemble the angular design of the X1 but be smaller than in the current X3. However, the quad round exhaust tailpipes and the enlarged rear spoiler give away the presence of a performance-oriented derivative. In this regard, according to our sources, the prototype shown is the M40i model, a scaled-down version of the X3 M.
We don’t know the new X3’s specs, but we assume that it will be similar to the 3-Series in terms of architecture. Similar to the existing model, the SUV is anticipated to be sold in ICE-powered, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric (iX3) varieties, albeit with cleaner and more effective powertrains. This is consistent with BMW’s approach of providing a wide range of alternatives for each model, however we anticipate this will be the final X3 to be powered by an ICE before the Bavarian carmaker switches to an all-electric lineup.
The BMW X3’s current third generation was unveiled in 2017 and underwent a facelift in 2021. This indicates that a new model could debut in 2024 at the earliest, possibly as a 2025MY, thereby completing the regular seven-year lifetime for BMW goods. Along with the performance-oriented M-branded cars, which will undoubtedly survive to the next generation with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, a coupe-style BMW X4 will probably come soon after the X3.
Is the BMW X3 evolving?
The BMW X3 crossover utility has not seen significant alterations since it was modified for the 2022 model year. Keyless entry is the only addition to the standard equipment. The changes to optional packages are more about deletions due to supply issues than additions. BMW removes Gesture Controls from the Premium package and currently does not offer the Driving Assistance Professional package.
Is a new BMW X3 on the way?
The next fourth-generation BMW X3 is being tested on the road for the first time, and it appears that the mid-size SUV will have a completely new look. Along with all-electric versions, we anticipate it to be the last X3 to include an internal combustion engine.
Compared to the existing X3, this test vehicle has a wider kidney grille and slimmer headlights up front. The new BMW 7 Series and X7’s split headlamp styling appears to be abandoned in the headlight design. The BMW badge, which is ridged in the bonnet and shared by the M3, i4, and XM, was also visible.
The wheel arch contour and upswept window line to the rear pillar, which creates the company’s renowned “Hofmeister kink,” are comparable to those of the present model. We anticipate that the rear lights, which are heavily camouflaged in our spy photos, will be two independent pieces rather than a single light bar. There are currently no distinguishing elements on the lower bumper, but the roof spoiler at the back appears to have gotten bigger.
The next-generation X3 received a redesign in June 2021, thus it’s unlikely that it will be unveiled until the end of 2023, with a 2024 release date. The timing of this arrival is tricky for BMW because the X3 would barely miss the introduction of the “Neue Klasse” platform, which is slated to debut in 2025.
It implies that the entirely electric iX3 (based on the current X3) will continue to be produced well into the life of the future X3. The redesigned CLAR platform from BMW, which is compatible with mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and pure-EV powertrains, will likely serve as the foundation for the next X3.
The majority of the range is anticipated to be made up of a combination of four-cylinder gasoline engines and six-cylinder gasoline engines with electric assistance. The current BMW X3 M employs the same 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine as the M3, so don’t be surprised if the X3 M does too. We’ll see the introduction of hybrid technology in a M automobile with the next BMW XM.
Although we haven’t yet seen inside the new X3, the infotainment system will undoubtedly be based on the company’s OS 8 operating system. It should appear on a curved display that combines a 12.3-inch infotainment screen from the iX with a 14.9-inch digital instrument cluster.
When the new BMW X3 goes on sale in the UK in 2024, it’s anticipated to inch closer to a PS50k entry price tag, once again competing against premium rivals like the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC, with the present BMW X3 starting at PS45,585.