CAR: BMW X3 3.0sd

If BMW was guilty of anything when launching the original X3, it was perhaps of being a little opaque in their product planning. The backstory is that they were planning to move the X5 significantly upmarket and needed to pull the X3 upmarket too in order to fill the void. While the all-new X5 was still being finalised, the X3 suddenly looked poor value for money, despite being bigger on the inside than its big brother. Most didn??™t appreciate these subtleties and simply saw the X3 as a more plasticky model that was priced too closely to the more prestigious X5.

BMW was in a no-win situation. Believe it or not, the Z3 Roadster is the reason why. When they introduced the Z3, the first cars imported were the entry-level 1.9-litre models after which the Z3 garnered an undeserved reputation as a hairdresser??™s car. Anxious to avoid this tag with the X3, BMW brought in powerful 2.5 and 3.0-litre models first, only for the press to moan that it was too expensive and priced too closely to the X5. They won??™t be moaning when they get their paws on the X3 3.0sd. Here??™s why.

For start, the X3 3.0sd is packing one of the finest engines in series production. The 286bhp 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel engine gives this unassuming looking compact 4x4 some gargantuan clout. Borrowed from the 535d, this engine will slingshot the car to 60mph in just 6.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 149mph. With a combined economy figure of 32.5mpg, it??™s not as if you??™ll pay the penalty at the pumps either. A clue as to the potency of this engine comes when the torque figure is revealed. Packing 580Nm of torque, the X3 3.0sd has muscles the size of a Porsche 911 Turbo. Grip off the line is excellent, the all-wheel drive system shuttling torque to whichever set of wheels can most easily handle it. Run-flat tyres ensure that you won??™t be left stranded by the roadside in the event of a puncture and also mean that you don??™t need to waste space and energy carrying a spare. Forget about all the hype about run-flats and poor ride quality. BMW has finally got the hang of tuning the suspension to handle the sidewall stiffness of the tyres.

So we have a car that??™s quick enough to make a Porsche Cayman sing for its supper but which is more economical than a Honda Accord 2.4 and offers passenger space that isn??™t far off Range Rover proportions. Still in the anti brigade? Along with the crackerjack engine, BMW has also tweaked the X3??™s styling, giving it a more upmarket look. The old X3 looked fine when specified in M-Sport trim with the body coloured side panelling but rather cheap with black parts, especially if the body was trimmed in a pale colour. The latest car reduces the size of the black side panels to mere running strips and a colour-keyed front spoiler sits below a redesigned bumper assembly. A bigger kidney grille reflects BMW??™s pride in the latest X3 and front foglights are now incorporated into the main section of the bodywork. Move round to the back and there are rod LED tail lamps. The X3 3.0sd also gets 18-inch alloy wheels and twin exhausts that poke out beneath a ground hugging rear valance. Don??™t be tempted to go off-roading.

The interior, the source of much of the X3??™s reputation for being built down to a price, has also been treated to a nip and tuck. The materials used on the centre console have been uprated and there??™s a better looking three-spoke steering wheel on offer. The 3.0sd gets stainless steel foot pedals, underlining its sporty credentials. Now that much of the technology that was introduced on the 5 Series has matured, BMW has been able to take a look at what??™s worth sticking with, what features will die a quiet death and, at the same time, has also introduced a few new ideas on the X3.

The Dynamic Stability Control + system (DSC+) is fitted to an X model for the first time, giving X3 drivers immense confidence as they explore the outer reaches of the car??™s handling envelope and acting as a reassuring safety net in the event of an evasive or emergency manoeuvre. The braking system has been given the most attention and the X3 comes with a series of braking functions that are beyond the ken of many cars costing three times as much. Brake Drying scrubs away the film of water on the brake discs that can reduce stopping power, while Brake Pretensioning shortens stopping distances during an emergency stop by priming the brakes to remove any slop in the system should the driver come sharply off the throttle pedal. Hill Start Assistant holds the brakes on a manual car until the driver can accelerate away while Brake Fade Compensation ramps up calliper pressure if the system detects that heat build up is causing brake fade. Switchable Dynamic Traction Control is also another first for an X model.

This sort of capability doesn??™t come cheap. You probably guessed at that already. The base price of this car, only available in ritzy M-Sport guise, is a hefty ??38,175 but that??™s over ??2,000 less than the equivalent 5 Series. Ask yourself what the 5 Series offers in terms of capability over the X3 and then reverse the question and suddenly the X3 3.0sd looks like money well spent.

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