A new video captures the next-generation BMW X3 testing at the Nurburgring race track. The video shows the crossover covered in a camouflage wrap, but it can't hide the quad tailpipes or the throaty exhaust note that indicates this is likely the M Performance variant.
The new X3 should feature styling similar to the new X1. That means the exterior should have a sharper design, bolder lines, and a more aggressive face, with the M Performance variant receiving unique styling touches.
Gallery: Next-gen BMW X3 new spy photos
Inside, the crossover will adopt the automaker's dash-spanning screen seen in previous spy shots. The setup houses the driver's display and the infotainment screen, which BMW is installing in its new and refreshed models. It'll likely feature iDrive 8.5, which is rolling out this year as the company prepares to launch iDrive 9.
A next-gen X3 M is expected, with one rumor suggesting it'll be electric-only when it arrives, replacing the inline-six-powered model available today. It'll allegedly ride on BMW" s Neue Klasse architecture, which is BEV first. The platform will debut in 2025, with the next-gen i3 and iX3 being the first electric vehicles to use it, and we should expect the electric X3 M in 2026 or 2027.
BMW will continue to offer combustion engines in the model's lesser trim levels. However, some electrification is likely throughout the lineup, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants possible. The 2023 BMW X4 M40i makes 382 horsepower from its 3.0-liter inline-six engine, and that mill should stick around in the next-generation model. It could make over 400 hp. The current crossover hits 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, which could decrease with a power boost.
BMW hasn't set a debut date for the new X3, but rumors suggest it should happen in the year's fourth quarter. It could go on sale for the 2023 model year. The first to debut will be the standard X3 before the hotter M-branded derivatives break cover later. This is when we'll see the M40i, possibly renamed to the M50i, and the coveted X3 M. Buyers should expect a next-generation iX3, too.
