Details on the upcoming 2011 BMW X3 are slowly leaking out by way of a serious of auto reports from a select few publications allowed a beforehand peak of the new car. Details are coming way of 3 major publications so far (follow the links below to read the full stories!), the most detailed of them has to be from Autobild which includes a drive.
For German speakers amongst us, follow the jump below to the read the full article. For the rest of us, here are some of their impressions:
The Interior
First and foremost, the car's plastics and materials have been significantly upgraded and are now more X5 then current X3, including the new and now ubiquitous iDrive knob and system. Similarly, the center console is much wider and more inviting with a start button for engine startup.
So far, this is great news!.
Because of growth in exterior dimensions, there has been alot of extra room created on the inside. The front seats are not only perched higher, but now pushed 2 cm further apart with 2.3 inches of increased leg room in the rear.
The rear trunk capacity has also grown an additional 70 liters up to a total of 550.
Technicals
The X3 now employs a new multi-link rear suspension from the upcoming 3 Series which promises to significantly improve the dynamics of this car. And due to the increased use of aluminum, the X3 actually comes in 25-30 lbs lighter then the current car, despite the new components and growth in size.
How much growth? ~8 inches longer, 3 inches wider and 2 inches of extra wheelbase.
The Drive
One thing Autobild repeatedly mentions is that the harsh ride of the current car has been vanquished to the annals of history, even when the car is equipped with sports suspension and 18" wheels! Dynamically, the car remains a true BMW, something you will notice immediatly when behind the wheel. No complaints in that department.
The engines are the traditional choices that we've come accustomd to in the current BMW line-up but will vary depending on market, some of the engines talked about by Autobild will just not be available in the US.
The Price
In Germany, the car is slated to start at just under 36,000 Euros which would translate to 43,000 - 44,000 USD. Don't read too much into this figure because the cars for the US market would likely be very differently spec'd and priced more to our market.
This is just a quick summary of the Autobild article, but there are a few others available depending on your language, take a look below!
Autocar (UK):
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/250219/ via Autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/f...w-x3-leak-out/
Autobild (DE):
http://www.autobild.de/artikel/bmw-x...d=1&now=35#mmg
Elmundo (ES):
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundomotor/2...275470389.html
Edmunds (US):
http://www.insideline.com/bmw/x3/201...rst-drive.html
Kilometer Magazine (US):
http://kilometermagazine.com/artman2...11_BMW_X3.html