BMW Looking at Medium Sized SUV Market with New BMW X3
With the launch of the new BMW X3 2.5i, BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd is looking at creating out a new market segment for itself. Complementing the larger BMWX5, the X3 is smaller, carries a lower price tag (relatively speaking), and should be an affordable alternative for those who hanker for the X5, but can’t quite make the cut in finances. Like the X5, the BMW X3 is what we all know as a ‘SUV’ or Sports Utility Vehicle, but BMW insists that theirs is a SAV, or ‘Sports Activity Vehicle’. The stance is that the X3 is more than a SUV. It is, first of all, a BMW. It proudly carries that familiar pair of kidneys and the paddle emblem up front and at the rear for all to see, and for you to justify why you are paying an arm and a leg for it. And being a BMW, it delivers all the qualities that a BMW delivers; it must drive like a BMW, handle like a BMW, and everything else that is BMW.
At RM366, 000, it is just a step up from the 325i, and offers the additional versatility that an ordinary sedan, even if it was a BMW, cannot. For example, if you needed to take your dog to the vet, you would have a little bit of a problem if you owned a sedan unless yours is one of those little ‘designer’ dogs. Or if you wanted to go camping by the beach on a weekend, you wouldn’t have to worry about your floor board scraping on the rough terrain as you leave the safety of the tarmac to get to a more scenic spot by the sea. Likewise, if your friend invited you to his durian farm, you can now accept the invitation because you don’t have to walk the last 400 metres to get to the fruits. With the new BMW X3, you get a new freedom to do all those things that you always wanted to do.
From the outside, the BMW X3 looks like it is a ‘pumped up’ 3-series. While some of the features may look very familiar, we are assured by BMW that all panels are different; that this is a completely new body, which is a shame, because I would have though that sharing of panels and body parts would help to reduce cost, which can be passed on to the consumer (if BMW so wished). Certainly, if it came upon you at speed from behind, you would think that it was a 3-series; only when it passes you would you notice that it is a SAV. If you looked closer, you might notice that the body rides higher for better ground clearance, and there are black plastic ‘guards’ cleverly disguised as side mouldings to protect your X3 against scratches from branches or twigs along jungle trails. Look underneath, and you will see stronger suspension arms, made of steel instead of aluminum for durability.
The heart of the X3 is the familiar BMW 2.5 litre straight six that develops a maximum output of 141 kW (192 bhp), and gives the X3 a top speed of 208 kph. Torque is 245Nm at 3,500 rpm, and the X3 accelerates from zero to 100 kph in 9.8 seconds. Power to the road is transmitted through a 5-speed automatic gearbox with Steptronic manual shifting capability.
The most outstanding feature of the BMW X3 is of course the Xdrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system. Put simply, the Xdrive is a super traction control system that senses the vehicle performance and transfers drive from the front wheels to the rear wheels and vice versa. The front/rear torque split can be anything from zero-hundred percent to hundred-zero percent; in short, you can have 100 percent or zero percent drive in the front or rear axle, depending on which of your wheels are slipping. The system senses the front/rear wheel slip, and transfers drive to the axle with the most grip. Working with the Xdrive system is also the traction control that transfers drive between left and right hand wheels on the same axle. In effect, you will get the maximum traction possible at all times, and you don’t even have to do a thing about it. Everything happens in real time, and is controlled by on board computers and sensors.
For negotiating steep slopes, the X3 comes with HDC, (Hill Descent Control); with the simple push of a button, the X3 will ‘drive’ itself down a hill slope. All that the driver has to do is steer the vehicle.
Inside, the BMW X3 is luxuriously appointed, and here, the 3-series DNA is evident. We didn’t take measurements to ascertain whether the X3’s interior parts were from another model, but they do look strangely familiar; like I said earlier, it is not necessarily bad to share parts with another model.
Finally, the BMW X3 looks like it can be an exciting package for those who want a little more out of life than what the mainstream can offer, although many of us present there at the launch do find it hard to imagine that anyone paying the price would not cringe at the thought of the X3 in anything more than the mildest of off-road conditions. As for me, I will just wait for BMW Malaysia to call us for a test drive.
