The X3 I drove has the following characteristics:
X3 35i xDrive;
Exterior Space Grey Metallic;
Interior Black Nevada Leather;
18” A/S Wheels 307;
Pirelli P7 Cinturato All Season tires;
Premium Package: Auto Dimming Exterior Mirrors, Auto Dimming Interior Mirrors, Automatic Trunk, Comfort Access, Panorama Sunroof, Park Distance Control, X-Line Package;
Satin Aluminum Roof Rails;
RearView Camera with Top View.
Front heated seats and heated steering wheel are standard.
The packaging of the options is different from the US, that’s why I went into a bit more detail.
Now let me say something about the dealership: they impressed me and I want to give credit where credit is due. I first got interested in the X6 about 2 years ago. Dilawri is the only BMW dealership in Regina, so they could have done anything they wanted with my request. But since the beginning, I have been given the white glove treatment. Every sales rep is knowledgeable about the models, and you can see that most of them exude passion for driving first, and BMW second. Even though they had not gone to training for the X3 yet, they were eagerly reading every bit they could and were as excited as I was about the new X3 coming. I will report on the sale experience later as I have not completed yet, but so far I have been extremely impressed by the competence, the availability, and the overall experience they offer to every customer or potential customer like me.
When I ordered my X3, sight unseen, I was informed that a dealer test model would arrive first and I was told I could see it as soon as it arrived, and drive it immediately after PDI. They kept their word, and when I was given the keys the car had 4 miles. I was the first one to take it around the block. This to me is class!
Now on to the car. I came to the dealership with my Nikon DSLR and a tripod. I took many pictures, some of which are attached. At the end of this message you will also find a link to all of my pictures, about 120. Many are horrible, but I know that I like to check every scrap of info on a car I like and so I’m putting them in a public folder, hoping you’ll forgive me if they are not so great.
Some items of note, which I picked up on the forum: the sunroof opens halfway, as the front glass pane shifts above the back pane, thus denying full open air to the back passengers. The glass is slightly tinted – it works in winter and I would think it’ll be great for additional light with no heat in summer as well.
The automatic trunk’s maximum opening height can be controlled from the iDrive just like in the X5/X6.
The color you’ll see in the pictures is representative for the first couple of pictures of what you’ll see in a garage with fluorescent lights. The other pictures are darker. The wood trim (Fineline Siena) is much less bright than it appears from the configurator, and I find it more appealing this way.
I drove the X3 for about 45 minutes on mixed roads. Like in most North America, we’ve had a record amount of snow, which I thought would help me understand if the traction control and the rest of the assistive technology would be of any help at all. For your reference, I am driving a 2008 Ford Edge Limited, with the same tire size as the X3. When I did the test it was snowing lightly. The temperature went from -2 to -12C (26 to 10F). The roads were icy.
Compared to my Edge, the seats feel harder at first; in reality they are just a bit firmer but much more supporting, which I find I need on the X3. The height from the ground is comparable. The ride, however, is not. My Edge feels light and springy, with bouncy suspensions and a trigger steering wheel that makes me feel always uneasy on snow and ice – like if I were going to lose control momentarily. The X3 is, in comparison, at the opposite extreme. It is reliable, controllable, dependable, and when you need it, screaming fast.
For example, I was at a stop sign turning right and I stopped completely, waited for some free space, and then accelerated in a 90 degree turn to the right on ice. The X3 hinted at a slide, then corrected itself, and followed my steering arc perfectly. The response was amazingly precise. The suspensions are another work of art. When you need to feel the road, they are there. You feel every imperfection – but if you chance on a rougher patch, the ride is never jarring or jerky: you can feel the road, but you are not jostled or tossed. It just lets you know, gently but firmly. I could not try the VDC so I do not know how the ride changes, but I was very satisfied even with the standard dampers.
Acceleration is just phenomenal. I was on the highway, going a bit slower than the speed limit, and decided to pass a slower car. As soon as I changed lane I squeezed the pedal and presto! I was way, way above the speed limit and the other car was nowhere to be found. I could get used to the seductive whistle of this turbo… But I’d have to start a new ticket collection.
The gears change magically and seamlessly, and unless you pay close attention, everything is so smooth that you don’t even notice it happen. With the normal shift position, there is a noticeable lag between when you squeeze the accelerator and when the car responds to it. But if you switch to the sport driving shift mode (not the Sport VDC mode, just the gearshift) the response is much quicker and way more satisfactory. And by the way – if you start switching gears manually, the X3 will do its absolute best to stay in that gear unless you redline it or stall it (but I did not try to do either so no data for this). Much better than the X6 50i I tried two years ago in this respect!
To test the stability control and the xDrive dynamics, I went to a lesser-used icy snow covered road devoid of cars. I tried to exceed the X3’s parameters, by accelerating into a turn on ice. I felt the car starting to slide, then the stability control put me back on track and reduced the speed automatically. Not bad for an automatic system – in my Ford it just slides away without warning. I also made a few common mistakes on purpose: braking late into a turn (while turning), accelerating before the apex, and so on. I recovered every time automatically. Having this tolerance may not be good for purists, but let me tell you that I’m very happy it is there. I am not a perfect driver – by a long shot – and I need all the help I can get.
All in all, I was elated, impressed, and excited. And one thing happened. When driving my Edge in this weather, I try to minimize the amount of driving. I become skittish, nervous, and stressed. I am constantly trying to anticipate when the car will let go, and prevent it, because when it happens it becomes unpredictable. Not its fault, it’s just a different type of car. With the X3, I wanted to continue to drive; I wanted to go everywhere, to just drive for the sheer pleasure of driving. I wanted my test drive to continue forever. And that is a feeling I have not had since a long, long time ago. I missed that feeling.
I hope to be able to test the 28i as well, and when my car arrives, I’ll be able to compare the VDC option I chose with the standard model. I am convinced though – I’m very happy I ordered one.
I’ve driven my share of cars both here and in Europe. I still miss the excitement of my Maserati Biturbo S. The X3 to me is obviously different, but it reminds me of that excitement. If you have the chance, try one: you’ll be happy you did.
To access the first picture, enter the following link in a browser:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17827399/DSC_0005.JPG
Replace 005 with 006, 007, and so on until 124 in the link above to see all the remaining pictures.
