BMW presented the first official showing of the highly anticipated BMW X3 M and BMW X4 M today on the Nurburgring, right before this weekend’s DTM stage.
The two camouflaged SUVs were driven around for a couple of laps to display its features and to tell us what we can expect when it actually unveils in a few months’ time.
BMW confirmed the addition of a new engine – “the technological highlight of the BMW X3 M and BMW X4 M is a newly developed straight six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and high-revving characteristics,” but gave no hint of its specifications. The S58 engine is an M-tuned version of the B58 3-liter straight six mills with a power of at least 450 HP that will be used not just for the X3 and X4 models but also for future M car models.
Part of the development process is the specific tuning of the M xDrive technology introduced for the first time in the new BMW M5. This technology is deployed in the BMW X3 M and BMW X4 M to ensure constant supreme and performance-oriented transfer of engine power to all four wheels – BMW
This indicates that the X3 M and X4 M models would be the first M SUVs to use the new M xDrive system which allows the driver to choose where the power goes, which can make this soon-to-be-unveiled super-SUVs probably the only ones in the world that can transfer power to the rear axle while on the track.
Frank van Meel, the president of BMW M, expressed that, “With their M specific performance characteristics, the BMW X3 M and BMW X4 M will set benchmarks in terms of dynamics in their respective vehicle segment.”
