What's all this about?
In February, when BMW revealed the new version of its X4 SUV coupe, we predicted a few things that would happen. Like an xDrive30d version of the rakish 4x4 a few months down the line, as well as a diesel M Performance derivative of the X3, to counterbalance the existing M40i. Well, here they both are.
Start with the high-power X3 first, please.
It's called the M40d and it uses the same 326hp/680Nm twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six diesel as the already-announced X4 M40d. Performance is brisk, with 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds - a mere tenth off the 360hp M40i - and the usual 155mph limited top speed, but figures of 44.1mpg and 169g/km are far better than the 34.4mpg and 188g/km of the petrol-powered M Performance X3.
Sounds good. What about the X4 xDrive30d?
It's the same 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel as mentioned above but shorn of one of its two turbos. That results in 265hp and 620Nm, enough to force the X4 from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds while returning anything up to 48.7mpg and 153g/km of CO2. Both the X3 M40d and the X4 xDrive30d use eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmissions that power all four wheels through xDrive all-wheel drive.
Any other BMW news?
A raft of range-wide revisions is on the cards. More models will get the eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox as standard, which are the 120i, the M140i (yup, that's right, the manual option has finally gone by the wayside...), eight different versions of the 3 Series (including Gran Turismo and Touring cars as well as four-door saloons), six models of the 4 Series (all of the Coupe, Gran Coupe and Convertible lines) and also the big-selling 520d.
What else has changed?
There's a special kit-laden run-out sales-booster spec for the 1 Series, called the Edition Metropolitan. No confirmation on whether this will come to the UK. New colours for the 5 Series and 6 Series Gran Turismo include Frozen Dark Silver metallic, which - along with exclusive Frozen Marina Bay Blue metallic - are also an option on the mighty M5, while the 7 Series can be painted up in some new interior and exterior BMW Individual colours. Lucky owners of the splendid i8 Roadster can now fit an aerodynamic kit (incorporating a front splitter and rear lip spoiler) to their hybrid sports car for a fee, while early adopters of BMW's 530e iPerformance PHEV can now purchase a wireless charging kit for the car's lithium-ion battery. This consists of a 'car pad' and a 'ground pad', the latter of which can be mounted in your garage or similar, meaning an end to charging cables trailing to the mains for recharging periods.
Matt Robinson - 30 May 2018
