BMW X3

Introduction:

Sportiness wears the clothes of elegance and gives rise to a new era of mobility, the era of the immortal German Emperor, BMW. The legendary automaker bestows the world with its another irresistible heir BMW X3. The car is a compact luxury crossover SUV, which is based on 3 Series platform and is presently running in its second generation. The car is being manufactured by BMW since 2003 and was premiered in September 2003 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Owing to the striking and sporty styling and desirable handling performance the car is expected to gain a good business in the Sri Lankan markets as well.

Engine, mileage and variants:

The pumped-up SUV is available in 4 petrol and 3 diesel variants, with 5 all-wheel Drive variants. Among these the most dynamic BMW X3 xDrive35i variant is powered by a 6-cylinder 2979cc TwinPower Turbo engine integrated with TwinScroll turbocharger and Valvetronic technology. This precisely-engineered engine generated a maximum power output of 306 hp between 5800 to 6400 rpm coupled with a torque output of 400Nm between 1200 to 5000 rpm. The car with full throttle unleashed extends its limits beautifully to establish 100km/hr of speed from a stand-still in just 5.6 seconds. The advanced engineering appointed to the engine in the form of the refined technologies manages to fetch the car an ability to cover a stretch of 100km in 8.3 litres of fuel.

Exterior:

Sportiness finds an elegant face in the exterior design of the BMW X3. The car reveals a polished aesthetics with a dominating and commanding appearance. The car features one of the most aerodynamically and artistically crafted exteriors in the SUV range. Owing to its dazzling adaptive LED headlights, signature radiator grille, dominating and robust front bumper design and the flowing bonnet design the car features a authoritative front look. The detailed aerodynamics hinted in the side profile of the SUV is accentuated by the strengthened skin the car wears and by the bi-colour light-alloy 17 and 18 inch wheels. The wide and robust look of the SUV that compliments its sportiness is a product of its precise dimensions, which reads 4657mm x 1881mm x 1678mm (L x W x H) and a long wheel-base of 2810mm. The off-road capabilities of the car are hinted by its large ground clearance of 212mm.

Interior:

The athletic SUV is worked upon by some of the most creative designers of the era to feature a solemnly luxurious and particularly convenient interior. The cockpit of the the SUV is crafted to feature a pure sense of ergonomics in the form of the features like the leather-wrapped multifunctional steering wheel, navigation system with built-in 8.8-inch LCD colour display with split screen function and well-configured instrument panel. The occupants of the car are offered a delicious feast of luxury owing to the attributes like the large, elevated and highly cushioned leather coated seats, well integrated storage compartments, air conditioning system and purely sensational Harman Kardon Surround sound system with 16 speakers. This luxury is made more perceptible with the capacious amount of head and leg room and a large cargo space of 550 litres, which can be further extended by folding the rear seats.

Safety, braking and miscellaneous:

The comfortable and delightful interiors of the luxury compact SUV are safe too, thanks to the extensive list of required safety features along with the safety assists. This car is equipped with Dynamic Damper Control that in the Sport and Sport+ mode makes the suspension work a more stiffer and make the SUV feature a stable sporting experience. With this the Performance Control system and the Sport Steering features further results in precise turning controls and makes steering agile. The warning systems like the camera-based Lane Departure Warning, Pedestrian Warning systems, City Brake Activation and the Active Cruise Control and Stop&Go function for the Steptronic transmission adds to the driving assistance. The efficient braking system equipped in the SUV consists of front solid discs and rear solid discs assisted with Anti-lock Braking System and Electronic Brake-force Distribution.

Verdict:

The daring muddy-buddy SUV from BMW promises you a desirable off-road performance, brisk and precisely-responsive handling and a solemnly pleasurable comfort, which makes it capable of buying an irresistible charm for itself. However, the not-so-competitive price of the car fades its charm a little.