[Mark]

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

[Oulixes]

A new and likely very exciting reincarnation of an old truck.

[bavarian19]

[atmgr]

Originally Posted by atlanta2004m3

great info all around, but the dimension changes you cited might be a tad bit incorrect in the conversion process....

83mm isn't approximately 8 inches, it's about 3 and a quarter inches

similarly, 29 mm equals just over an inch, and finally 15 mm is just over half an inch

so some growth, but not huge. don't mean to nitpick, just the engineer in me coming out and I like the numbers disseminated to be correct....


cheers

Craig

3" growth will be fine. If it in deed grows by 8", I wouldn't want to own one. It will be too close to X5.

[GOLFFRR]

looks promising. cant wait to see some more info on it as it comes out.

[Yokohama]

Originally Posted by atmgr

3" growth will be fine. If it in deed grows by 8", I wouldn't want to own one. It will be too close to X5.

I think that's not inches but centimeters.

You can check that in the links of european press testers

8 inches is too much for a medium suv

[Mark]

Originally Posted by atlanta2004m3

great info all around, but the dimension changes you cited might be a tad bit incorrect in the conversion process....

83mm isn't approximately 8 inches, it's about 3 and a quarter inches

similarly, 29 mm equals just over an inch, and finally 15 mm is just over half an inch

so some growth, but not huge. don't mean to nitpick, just the engineer in me coming out and I like the numbers disseminated to be correct....


cheers

Craig

Craig,

You are correct! I realized I made a mistake in taking what the translation software said at face value, I think it just took the cm value and replaced the word cm with inches and caled it a day, whoops!

[kinan_sleiman2006]

information

[ALPINE6SPD]

This is most likely the nexr car I will lease when the 3 goes back in almost 3 years. This or the X1. I have a TON of customers waiting to see this new X3 and most of them LOVE their current X3. My Wife and I loved out sport pack X3 with a manual transmission. The nav and electronics were old and the interior could have been nicer but I have yet to drive and SUV that is as much fun to drive as the X3 was with the manual trans and sport package. I cant wait for the new one.

[hector]

Originally Posted by ALPINE6SPD

... My Wife and I loved out sport pack X3 with a manual transmission... I have yet to drive and SUV that is as much fun to drive as the X3 was with the manual trans and sport package...

do you think that it's likely that they will continue to offer the manual in the new one? and a rwd model?

[Malbolge]

i wonder how much this car is an indication size wise in terms of new 3 series (inside, wheel base,e tc) considering that X3 now i comparable to 3 series E90 and shares components with E90 and 1 series.

[Mark]

Added Edmunds and Kilometer Magazine to the list!

http://www.insideline.com/bmw/x3/201...rst-drive.html

http://kilometermagazine.com/artman2...11_BMW_X3.html

[135BANDIT]

Can anyone confirm whether it will have the X5 styled split rear tailgate door?

JD

[ArmyBimmerDude]

Xdrive35d por favor...