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However, a new rumor has surfaced, with Automobile Magazine tweeting that the entry level BMW Z4 will soon get a new, 4-cylinder force inducted engine, as a replacement for the naturally aspirated inline-six.
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Carscoop reader Andras from Hungary was vacationing in Obertauern, Austria when he spotted this convoy of BMWs comprising of both masked prototypes and normal production cars, including a sedan in full body cladding. Check out Andras' photos and story after the jump.
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When we shared with you a list with winter driving tips in our previous post -see here- we stressed the importance of using winter tires. The reason? Summer tires will lose most of their elasticity at 7 degrees Celsius (44.6 F) and it only gets worse as temperatures drop further. Grip will be almost non-existent and having four-wheel drive doesn’t help either. If you still have doubts, follow the break to check out a video from BMW showing the new X3 with summer tires rendered useless in the snowy Austrian Alps.
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According to this video, BMW's xDrive is vastly superior to Audi's quattro - at least when driving up metal inclines built by BMW... In the clip, we get a glimpse at what appears to be some sort of BMW press event and a hill climb-off between two small-ish diesel-powered premium soft-roaders: Audi's Q5 and BMW's X3.
For starters there's the BMW Snow Intensive Training course in Sölden (Austria), where you can fine tune your braking and steering technique driving the new BMW X3, 5-Series and the M3, on both uphill and downhill routes.
After mastering the basics, you can switch to the BMW Snow Drift Training, also held in Sölden, where you can drift for a half a day in a 420 hp M3, yodeling all the way.
Crime fighters in blue will be able to get behind the wheel of cars such as BMW 330d Saloon and Touring, 530d Saloon and Touring, all variants of X1, X3 xDrive20d, X5 xDrive30d and xDrive40d, while the R1200 RF-P Police bike is also on the menu.
Aside from the latest 5 Series models, which are an all-new addition to Police fleets, BMW also announced a specially modified 330d Saloon Interceptor as its High Performance Pursuit Vehicle.
The Bavarian firm's chief, Frank-Peter Arndt believes an additional "volume model" could be added to Spartanburg's production line. The introduction of a fourth model would help reduce BMW's exposure to foreign currency, which presently tops US$14 billion. IHS Automotive analyst Rebecca Lindland believes the 3-Series is the most likely candidate for production at Spartanburg: "The 3-Series is a no-brainer." she said.
After the presentation of the all-new X1 SUV, BMW's engineers are now busy preparing the second-generation X3 which is due to arrive in international markets in 2011. Based on the next 3-Series platform architecture, the new X3 bears the codename F25 and will come with all-wheel drive or as BMW calls it, xDrive. It is possible though that just like the smaller X1, the Bavarian automaker may also offer rear-wheel drive only variants of its compact SUV. Th
e introduction of the X1 in BMW's SUV range should result in an increase of the X3's exterior dimensions in order to further differentiate the two models. As it stands now, the Bavarian SUVs are similar in size, with the X1 being just 4.5 inches (114 mm) shorter, 2.2 inches (55 mm) narrower and 5.1 inches (130 mm) lower than the current X3.
While the prototype model's funky disguise does not reveal much about the design, it is expected that the new X3 will do away with the current model's flame-surface styling adopting many design cues from BMW's latest vehicles such as the 7-Series as well as the Concept CS. As for the interior, buyers should look forward to higher quality materials and a more contemporary design for the dashboard.
There'll be a wide engine range to choose from, with gasolines ranging from the 170HP 2.0-litre four-banger to a range-topping 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six while the diesel line-up will include numerous four- and six-cylinder engines.
It has also been reported that the next-generation X3 will gain a hybrid variant featuring a gasoline engine and a high-performance electric motor that will allow the vehicle to to be driven on electric power only, on the combustion engine alone, or with a combination of both power units.
Whereas the current X3 is built under contract by Magna Steyr in Austria, the new compact SUV will be manufactured at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina alongside the X5 and X6 models.
Sometimes less, is more. Want a vehicle with low fuel consumption? Then how about going for one with a smaller displacement engine? All you have to do is ask yourself if you really need an SUV with close to 300HP - that's you we're talking about soccer mom, colleague kid and law-abiding dad who never, ever go over 65mph... A very good example of 'less is more', is BMW's new entry-level X3, the xDrive18d which is powered by a 2.0-liter diesel producing 143HP and a more than adequate 350Nm or 258 lb-ft of torque at just 1,750 rpm.
In conjunction with BMW's EfficientDynamics systems, the X3 xDrive18d returns an average fuel consumption of just 6.2 lt/100km which is equal to 38mpg US and 45.6mpg UK, and a CO2 rating of 165 gr/km. Not bad at all.
The downside is that the entry-level X3 won't blow your mind with its performance stats - it needs 10.3 seconds to reach 100km/h (62mph) from standstill while the speedometer's needle stops at 195 km/h or 121mph. But then again, it all depends if you really need-slash-want the extra power and improved performance figures.
Like all engine variants the new BMW X3 xDrive18d also comes as standard with BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system. As with most diesel-powered cars of the sort, the X3 xDrive18d is not destined to make a career in the States. European sales of BMW's new version of the X3 will commence this month.
One of less significant premieres of next week's Geneva Auto Show will be the BMW X3 xDrive20d emergency rescue vehicle that is making its first public appearance as the Bavarian automaker wants to show off its special-purpose vehicles. The X3 medical emergency vehicle is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine that develops an output of 177HP offering an average fuel consumption of 6.5 lt /100km which is equal to 34.6mpg US.Like any emergency rescue vehicle, the X3 is fitted with a special roof-mounted alarm system, including a blue light, an electronic siren, and an LED display with the word NOTARZT ("emergency doctor"). Furthermore, there are two flashing lights are inside the boot, which when opened, provide sufficient warning to oncoming traffic.
Inside, the X3's cabin has been converted for medical use featuring among other things, a sturdy metal dividing frame between the luggage space and passenger cabin, a mounting for the radio device, which includes a power supply and a rest for the hand unit, as well as a charging point in the luggage area.
From March 2009, BMW will offer German buyers a new version of its X3 compact SUV called 'Limited Sport Edition'. Before you get all excited and everything, the new variant of the Bavarian crossover is nothing more, nothing less, than an X3 adorned with an M Sport package, large 19-inch alloy wheels and sport seats in a combination of leather and alcantara.
The X3 Limited Sport Edition can be combined with all six engines that are available on the 2009 model year, ranging from the 150HP 2.0-liter turbo diesel to the 286HP twin-turbo 3.0-liter diesel.
Alloy wheels and sports seats aside, BMW's M package adds several goodies such as a sport suspension, xenon headlights with Adaptive cornering light, M leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons, a subtle exterior bodykit, chromed exhaust pipes and more.
Depending on the engine variant, the price for the Limited Edition Sport package ranges between €7,250 and €7,900. BMW said that the availability of the special edition X3 will be limited to a year.
