UK Specification BMW X3 SAV - In Depth

Press Release

Overview

BMW is launching an all-new Sports Activity Vehicle - the X3 2.5i SE and X3 3.0i SE and Sport models that all feature xDrive, BMW's technically advanced 4x4 system. The X3 is set to repeat the X5's success and offer a premium car that can cope with most off-road situations, provide superb levels of practicality and safety and maintain BMW's reputation for engineering supreme cars for drivers. When the BMW X5 went on sale in 2000 it established a new market segment - the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV). At the time, BMW Great Britain's managing director, Jim O'Donnell said, "Most 4x4's boast their credentials in off-road circumstances yet 90 per cent of them never see a scrap of mud in their lives. The compromise they make for this promise unfulfilled by their customers is a vehicle that drives on the road more like a truck than a car." The following three and a half years have seen the X5 fulfil its promise, with great on-road capabilities backed up by real-world off-road agility, resulting in critical acclaim and record sales year-on-year. The BMW X3 is expected to reproduce the X5's impact as a catalyst for a new market segment. It is a premium driver's car featuring comprehensive 4x4 potential through xDrive, offering predictive and infinitely variable power distribution between front and rear axles. With the launch of the X3, BMW continues its drive to offer a premium vehicle in all of its target market segments. It also means that the company now offers an unbeatable level of choice within its line-up for customers seeking cars with the combination of great driving dynamics and practical abilities. Prices begin at £28,715 for the 2.5i SE (£32,115 for the 3.0i SE) and the launch models will be joined by 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre diesel models over the next 18 months.

Highlights

• Choice of 2.5-litre or 3.0-litre six cylinder petrol engines featuring bi-VANOS technology
• 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic gearboxes (automatic only on 3.0i)
• Top speed of 130mph (137 on the 3.0i Sport) with a 0 - 62 mph time of 8.1 seconds (3.0i SE)
• 231bhp at 5,900rpm on the 3.0-litre petrol model
• Suspension concepts derived from the 5 Series and 6 Series models
• BMW's xDrive technology
• Ground clearance of over 200mm and a wading depth of 500mm
• BMW's Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Control
• Towing capability of 2000kgs
• Superb boot access with tailgate opening to 1.85m height
• High quality interior design and materials
• 'Intelligent' driver and passenger front and side airbags, plus head airbags for front and rear passengers
• Three rear three-point seat belts
• Two ISOFIX child seat attachments standard in the rear seats
• Deformable bumper system
• Park Distance Control
• Tyre Pressure Warning System
• Ventilated disc brakes front and back 17" alloy wheels

Basic Data:

• BMW X3 2.5i SE (Manual) £28,715.00 OTR 192bhp 245Nm 0-62mph in 8.9 secs Top speed 129mph 25.2mpg 272g/km
• BMW X3 2.5i SE (Automatic) £30,065.00 OTR 192bhp 245Nm 0-62mph in 9.8secs Top speed 129mph 23.7mpg 289g/km
• BMW X3 2.5i Sport (Manual) £29,765.00 OTR 192bhp 245Nm 0-62mph in 8.9 secs Top speed 129mph 25.3mpg 272g/km
• BMW X3 2.5i Sport (Automatic) £31,115.00 OTR 192bhp 245Nm 0-62mph in 9.8 secs Top speed 129mph 23.7mpg 289g/km
• BMW X3 3.0i SE (Automatic) £32,115.00 OTR 231bhp 300Nm 0-62mph in 8.1 secs Top speed 130mph 23.3mpg 293g/km
• BMW X3 3.0i Sport (Automatic) £33,115.00 OTR 231bhp 300Nm 0-62mph in 8.1secs Top speed 137mph 23.3mpg 293g/km

Market

The BMW X3 provides a unique offering to the growing SUV/SAV market with a blend of practicality, on- and off-road ability, modern design and state-of-the-art technology. It joins a highly regarded line-up of practical and dynamically appealing BMW cars such as the 3 and 5 Series Touring and X5, but offers its own distinct face and features within that range. It will appeal to BMW's existing customers and, importantly, a group of new customers who have, in the past, decided that the current BMW line-up does not exactly satisfy their demands or lifestyles. Smaller and even more agile than the critically acclaimed X5, with more real-world off-road potential than both BMW's Touring models, the X3 is set to kick-start a new market segment, just as the X5 did in 2000. The X3 will bring more women drivers and a younger audience to the BMW stable. The average age of owners is predicted as between 35 to 40 and it will appeal to couples with young families. However, virtually 100 per cent of X3 owners will be looking for the blend of typical BMW on-road dynamics with off-road potential that will satisfy their lifestyles, whether that off-road experience takes them to their recreational pursuits every weekend or remains as a reassuring back-up in emergencies. Recent research has shown that over 20 per cent of X5 owners use their cars' off-road capabilities at least once a month and, as X3 features all the technologies available on X5, these figures are expected to be reproduced in BMW's new SAV. The BMW X3 has no direct competitors. The closest rivals are Land Rover Freelander and Lexus RX 300, but neither offers the X3's all-round abilities. It is anticipated that new competitive models will arrive in the market place over the next few years. However, if X3 commands the same unrivalled owner loyalty as X5, (recently reported as the car most owners would recommend to a friend in Which? and J.D.Power surveys), BMW Great Britain confidently predicts that demand will comfortably reach 10,000 cars in a full year. The arrival of BMW's award-winning two and three litre diesel engines to the range in 2004 and 2005 should push that figure even higher. As a means of comparison, the following table shows the number of BMW 3 Series Touring, 5 Series Touring (in its run-out year) and X5's sold in the UK in 2003. 2003 UK sales volume
BMW 3 Series Touring range 8,274
BMW 5 Series Touring range 2,142
BMW X5 range 8,535

Design

The over-riding X3 design concept tells two stories in one overall package. The overriding impression is one of solidity, ruggedness and practicality expected of a car bound for an active life, yet the details are those of a typical dynamic and agile BMW. This balance in design communicates the car's twin abilities of highly capable off-road potential married to on-road driving dynamics straight out of the BMW manual. The car is clearly a driver's car with its raked A-pillar framing a set-back cabin, resulting in the most coupé-like and aerodynamic body for any car considered in its competitive environment. 17" alloy wheels, short overhangs, a long bonnet and twin tailpipes continue the performance theme, whilst BMW's new design philosophy continues with contrasting concave and convex surfaces meeting at sharp intersections to produce a dramatic and almost organic surface. Yet its practical advantages and off-road capabilities are also in evidence with high ground clearance, top-quality plastic deformable bumpers, elevated seating position and a large tailgate that opens at a conveniently low shut-line and lifts to over 1.85 metres. Inside the car, the balance of practicality and style continues. The X3 comes with a choice of cloth (standard), Sensatec 'performance' material or leather upholstery, plus trim options of buffed aluminium, light birch or dark maple on top of the standard slate grey interior trim. Sports seats are available as an option either independently or as part of the Sports package that also includes an upgrade on the standard multi-function steering wheel, 18" alloys and sports suspension. Stowage and boot space are key features in the X3's market segment and the car offers a host of storage bins and pockets throughout, with 60:40 split-fold rear seats that fold virtually flat providing 1560 litres of storage. The large one-piece tailgate exploits this space ensuring that loading or unloading is as painless as possible, with anyone up to 1.85 metres in height able to access the boot comfortably without bending. With rear seats raised, 480 litres of boot space is accessible. BMW Business CD, six CD preparation, air-conditioning, four-spoke multi-function steering wheel with cruise control and all-electric windows with anti-trap and comfort closing are all standard features. Roof rails also come as standard and, recognising the active lifestyles that many X3 owners will lead, BMW is also introducing an optional storage package including a recessed storage rail system. In conjunction with a new accessory for the X3, it allows two mountain bikes to be locked upright within the car with the rear seats folded.

Drivetrain

xDrive: With its renowned engines, choice of transmissions and all-new xDrive four-wheel-drive system, the new X3 features key technologies that ensure it competes realistically with virtually all off-road vehicles and stretches even further away from the competition in terms of on-road driving dynamics. xDrive is the key to BMW's X cars' unmatched combination of on- and off-road abilities, and two fundamental principles underline xDrive's potential:

• xDrive uses comprehensive vehicle data from Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) sensors to constantly monitor driving conditions and predict traction loss, enabling xDrive to act rather than react.
• xDrive improves stability, performance and safety by constantly and instantly channelling appropriate drive forces from axle-to-axle.

On-road, traction and agility are improved, whilst the risk of over- or understeer is constantly monitored during cornering. Off-road, traction is significantly improved as xDrive channels drive forces to the axle with most grip rather than cutting engine power or braking troubled wheels. The whole ethos of xDrive is about predicting a loss of traction rather than reacting to it, which enables the car to use intelligently distributed power and drive to negotiate rough terrain or exploit enthusiastic driving. xDrive comprises two key ingredients - an electrically activated multiple-plate clutch which changes drive distribution from axle-to-axle, and the familiar DSC system that regulates power to each wheel. Responding in just 100 milliseconds, xDrive is far quicker than more conventional four-wheel-drive systems. The intelligence of xDrive comes from DSC (standard on all new BMWs), which delivers a wealth of vehicle data including individual wheel speed, steering angle, lateral acceleration and yaw rates. By constantly processing this information, xDrive is able to detect situations in which traction loss is likely in an instant and to transfer drive variably front-to-rear the precise moment that grip is lost. Naturally DSC can intervene but, because of xDrive's ability to re-direct power and prevent traction loss, it does so far less frequently and only in extreme circumstances. Where traction loss is unavoidable, DSC cuts power and, if necessary, applies brakes to individual wheels allowing the car to regain a foothold, but not necessarily slowing its progress. Engines: The heart of the X3's impressive performance is BMW's acclaimed six cylinder petrol engine, available in X3 in both 2.5i and 3.0i variants. With higher performance figures and better economy than its nearest rivals, the X3 is sure to satisfy enthusiastic drivers. BMW's patented bi-VANOS camshaft adjustment system is the key to the X3's market-leading figures and also enables it to compete on emissions. With 192bhp available at 6,000rpm, the X3 2.5i reaches 62mph in just 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 129mph. The 3.0i automatic model knocks almost one second off the 0-62mph time and adds up to 8mph to the top speed (8.1 seconds / 137mph respectively on the X3 3.0i Sport). The X3 2.5i also comes with an optional automatic version and offers figures of 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 129mph. CO2 figures are 272g/km for the 2.5i (289g/km for the automatic version) and 293g/km for the 3.0i automatic. Combined fuel consumption figures are 25.2mpg for the 2.5i (23.7 for the automatic version) and 23.3 for the 3.0i. Worldwide demand for BMW's diesel engines means that the UK will take delivery of its first 2.0-litre diesel versions in late 2004 and its 3.0-litre diesel models one year later. Transmissions: In the UK, the X3 2.5i model features a typically responsive and accurate six speed manual gearbox with short ratios from first to fifth that exploit the car?s 24 valve power. Sixth gear is an overdrive ratio that allows for more economical and quieter cruising. A five-speed automatic is optional. The 3.0i version features the five-speed gearbox as its only transmission unit, and the car's 231bhp is transmitted efficiently through the gears offering strong, instant acceleration. As on all BMWs the automatic gearbox still offers a 'manual' Steptronic shift option through its S/M setting, engaged by shifting the gearstick to the left into the S/M gate. This defaults to the automatic Sport settings which see the transmission change up automatically at higher revs, but the driver can also then shift manually by pulling back to go up the gearbox or pushing forward to drop down.

Chassis

A car with a great engine, accurately mated transmissions and advanced four-wheel-drive system still requires a solid foundation to ensure that performance and technology produce a wholly rewarding drive. The X3, as on the X5, features a unitary structure rather than the ladder frame chassis found on most other 4x4s. This provides impressive levels of torsional rigidity, soaks up vibrations particularly effectively and allows the car to handle and ride like a typical BMW. Front and rear suspension set-ups are based on the BMW 5 and 6 Series concepts with an integral rear arm and a double-joint spring strut front axle, all made of steel to combat all-terrain use. These are rubber-mounted at all points, with the rear axle also featuring a separate rubber-mounted chassis sub-frame. A low centre of gravity and a front drive shaft that runs through the oil sump help to reduce roll to executive car levels.

Safety

The X3's high ground clearance, elevated driving position, and flexible and strong unitary bodyshell structure make it intrinsically very safe. However, as with the X5 and its five star Euro NCAP rating, the X3 features a host of safety elements that build on this foundation, continuing BMW's tradition of offering extremely safe, and dynamically exciting cars. xDrive and its DSC control system, form the bedrock of the X3's safety systems. Its constant monitoring of driving conditions and pro-active technology allows it to drive the car out of emergency situations rather than react to them. However, should the X3 be unable to avoid an accident, up to eight airbags offer comprehensive protection. Front airbags, side airbags for driver and passenger and head airbags that extend back from the A-pillar to protect both front and rear passengers come as standard with rear side airbags optional. All airbags are 'intelligent', working independently within a network ensuring instantly reactive targeted support to car occupants. Two ISOFIX child seat attachments are standard in the rear seats, whilst the driver and front passenger are further protected by the integration of three-point seat belts that feature belt latch tensioners, belt force governors and anti-submarining ramps in the seats. Three three-point seat belts with belt latch tensioners also come as standard in the rear. It is clear that X3 drivers will cover a range of terrains and the car's electronics control and monitor a number of state-of-the-art systems to cover most circumstances. The Tyre Puncture Warning System detects a loss of pressure in the tyres, usually well before the immediate need to change the tyre. Hill Descent Control (HDC), first introduced on X5, allows X3 drivers to proceed smoothly and safely downhill, seemingly upsetting only the laws of gravity. Adaptive Headlamps increase illumination on the road ahead by up to 90 per cent - the headlights working with the cornering action of the car and swivelling by up to 15 degrees in the direction the car is heading. Finally, Trailer Stability Control (TSC) offers a claimed world-first technology from BMW. The car's DSC system monitors any untoward swinging action of an attached trailer and applies the brakes where necessary in order to regain stability. With the X3 able to tow a braked load of up to 2000kgs, and with 25 per cent of all UK registered X5s sporting a towbar, this will clearly be a welcome technology.

Summary

BMW is continuing its impressive model launch programme with the X3 SAV. As with all recent launches, from the Z4, 5, 6 and 7 Series models to the revised X5, it mixes cutting edge technology with real-world practicalities in a premium package that immediately takes a leading role in a new and expanding market segment.