Just like a Rotten Tomatoes review can make or break a movie’s reputation and its box-office success, Consumer Reports’ road tests have the potential to boost a vehicle's sales or in some cases force a an automaker to run back to the drawing board.
The latest batch of vehicles tested by CR include two SUVs that even though different in size, will compete in the premium segment: the second iteration of the BMW X3 and the brand-new challenger in the category, the Range Rover Evoque.
To sum it up, the BMW X3 xDrive28i scored an 80 in CR's road test and received the “Recommended” tag, while the Range Rover Evoque managed a test score of 60 score and was placed near the bottom of its class.
BMW is giving us a sneak peak of its forthcoming 2011 X3 through a huge gallery of photos of the pre-production model. To keep the interest in the new X3 going, the Bavarian automaker retained some camouflage on the body and the dashboard. However, there are plenty of shots of the new X3 alongside the first generation of the model allowing us to visually compare the two vehicles.
Despite the camouflage, it is evident that the 2011 X3 adopts the less complicated and controversial styling language of the post-Bangle era BMWs such as the new 5-Series along with a more prominent double-kidney grille.
From the photos it also appears that the new X3 has grown in dimensions compared to the current model, thus allowing it to be better positioned between the X1 and X5 crossovers.
Six years after the introduction of the first X3, BMW has lifted the wraps off the all-new second generation model that grows in dimensions and gains new engines. The new X3 will go on sale by the end of 2010, following its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in late September. It will be built at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.
Although familiar in shape, the exterior design of the new BMW X3 is less complicated and more 'clean' than the outgoing model incorporating styling elements from the X1 and X5 as well as from the latest 5-Series including the more prominent double kidney grille and concave surfaces on the hood.
The interior has been redesigned from the ground up and now features a classic four-dial instrument layout along with a more driver orientated center console housing a large 8.8-inch high-resolution screen.
The all-new, second iteration of the X3 SUV was only just introduced the other day, but BMW has already released photos and details of the available M Sports Package.
For an unspecified amount, BMW will spice up the exterior looks of the new X3 with a body-colored kit that includes a new front bumper with larger air-intakes, side skirts and a new rear bumper with a matte black diffuser. In addition, the window surrounds and roof rails are finished a high-gloss black color while the SUV rides on 19-inch M alloy wheels.
Available since autumn 2010, the second iteration of the BMW X3 continues to draw the attention of European tuners. Seen here in AC Schnitzer guise, the F25 X3 has been upgraded with a styling package and go-fast modifications.
For starters, AC Schnitzer has upped the performance on the 2.0-liter diesel-powered xDrive20d from 184-horses to 218HP, while the company is also working on a kit for the xDrive30d as well as the 6-cylinder 2.8i and 3.5i petrol models, which will be released later this year.
In what’s either a clever bit of marketing or an epic jumping the shark moment, Canadian ad firm Cundari has produced what it claims to be the longest banner ad ever for the BMW X3.
The ad, which measures 300 by 18,000 pixels (!) when fully extended, contains some 5,500 words of text and just goes on and on and on. So much so that I just skimmed through, trying to figure out if there was a point to it. It certainly didn’t make me want to buy an X3, but maybe that’s not what Cundari was trying to achieve.
Like every year, Ward's AutoWorld magazine picks the best interiors the automotive industry has to offer. For 2011, the publication chose 10 the ten best interiors the offer after editors analyzed 51 vehicles that were all-new or featured significantly upgraded interior. Ward's Auto picked the 10 winners from all segments, with the finalists including three luxury brands, three economy cars, a sport sedan, a minivan, an SUV and a family sedan.
If you’re still with us, the top 10 winners for 2011, in alphabetical order, are:
Audi A8
BMW X3 xDrive35i
Chevrolet Cruze 2LT RS
Dodge Charger Rallye Plus
Ford Focus Titanium
Honda Odyssey Elite
Hyundai Elantra Limited
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
Kia Optima EX
Volvo S60
BMW wants to turn an ordinary sale into an emotional experience that drives brand loyalty and retention by offerings U.S. buyers of the 2011MY X3 a unique access to the creation of their crossover through an online video portal that will show them footage of their customized X3 being produced at the company’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Last time we reported about BMW's long-rumored family of turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, it was in the summer of 2010. Meanwhile, the German manufacturer hasn't revealed anything on the matter, giving the whole affair an almost mythical status.
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.
The BMW Group is quite busy these days as the Bavarian automaker is developing a raft of new models, ranging from the upcoming Megacity electric-vehicle and the MINI Coupe and Roadster, to the next generation of the 3-Series and the production version of the Vision ED concept sports car.
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.
The lightly refreshed Coupe and Convertible versions of the 1-Series aren't the only new BMW models unveiled today as the Bavarian automaker also announced the introduction of an M Sports Package and two new engines for the latest X3 crossover, which was first shown in July.
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.
Who would have thought that BMW's all-wheel drive systems were enough to shame Audi's famous quattro system? Not the average consumer, that's for sure (though BMW certainly has had enough time to get it right). BMW, which has actually been making AWD cars for the past 25 years, has decided to begin more aggressively targeting consumers who live in harsher climates.
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.
Driving in the snow can be a lot of fun if you know what you're doing. But not everyone is an ace behind the wheel and even if they are, there's always room for improvement. Enter BMW's Winter Driving Experience event that offers special training courses all over Europe, in a variety of road conditions.
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.
Good news for police officers bad news for tax-payers in the UK; Hyundai (see here) is not the only maker to be approved as a key supplier for all 52 Police forces around the country by the National Policing Improvement Agency. BMW has also received the agency's blessings, which means the Bavarian firm's cars and motorcycles will become standard issue to the UK's Policemen and women as part of the four-year deal.
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.
BMW is considering adding a fourth model to its Spartanburg, South Carolina factory in order to further compete with U.S. luxury market leaders Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.
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.
BMW has announced U.S. pricing for its all-new, second-generation X3 before the crossover model arrives in dealerships at the end of the year. Customers can choose from two variants, the X3 xDrive28i that comes with a 3.0-liter inline-six engine producing 240HP and a base price of $37,625, or the X3 xDrive35i with a 300HP turbocharged-six priced at $41,925. Both prices include $875 destination and handling fee.
BMW has released details of what it will be presenting at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Alongside the world premiere of the Concept 6 Series Coupé, 2011 X3 SUV and 5-series Touring are new engines, AWD and phone tech for the 5-series and an Efficient Dynamics version of the X3.
We got our first official look at the all-new 2011 BMW X3 on Wednesday, but now we can also show it to you in motion as the Bavarian automaker has just released some B-roll footage of the compact crossover as well as a video with Anders Warming, head of exterior design, talking about the vehicle's styling.
Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we'd really like to hear what you have to say about the aesthetics of the new BMW X3. Aside from sharing your thought in the comments section, you can also vote in the poll after the jump.
The first picture of the second-generation BMW X3 without the annoying swirly camouflage of the prototype models (see here) has hit the interwebs. Set to go on sale in Europe after its debut at the Paris Motor Show in late September, the 2011 X3 is built around the next 3-Series architecture and will be offered with a range of four- and six-cylinder engines spanning from 2.0-litre four-pot petrol and diesel units to a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol.
