While fans won't be able to see the BMW X3 at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, several "spy photos" of the new generation SUV tearing up the harsh winter snow of North Sweden have been released.
Although the prototype was heavily disguised, it could be seen that its front end is inspired by the current F30 3 Series, featuring a trapezoidal headlights. Its kidney grilles, however, seemed to have been enlarged. Its tail-lights looks like the X1 and new 5 Series Touring, Car Advice reported.
BMW said it tested the car in the -20 degrees Celsius, icy surfaces of frozen lakes and remote roads to test for fine-tune stability and traction control systems activated via the Driving Experience Control function.
Through this, engineers can easily sense the vehicle's dynamic behavior accurately and synchronize the control of driver assistant systems like the Dynamic Stability Control or Dynamic Traction Control. The cold-weather test would also help the car develop as a whole since it is being tested at extreme temperatures.
Its side profile resembles the outgoing F25 model, with a betline dropping around the wing mirror and pickup aft of the C-pillar. One significant change noted is the Air Breather vents aft of the front wheel arches, which could lessen wheel arch turbulence and hence drag.
The engine lineup has not been revealed yet, but it is expected that it will just keep its current engines and hybrid engines will also be available. A range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, in four-, six-, or three-cylinder configurations will possible be featured.
The G01 X3 is slated to feature the modular rear-biased Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform, which underpins the G11 7 Series and G30 5 series. The underpinnings are set to bring weight savings (somewhere between 50 and 100 kilograms lighter than the current model) and will become the basis for future models such as the next generation 3 Series, according to Paultan.
BMW remains tight-lipped about the release date of the X3, but many expect it to hit the market sometime later this year.