Exterior
Set to formally bow at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the styling differences relative the X3 and X4 M40i are comparatively minor in that the M receives wider door sills, a reshaped front bumper with wider air intakes, new rear diffuser, 20-inch Orbit Grey alloy wheels and a black finish for the kidney grilles.
In comparison, the Competition swaps the aforementioned wheels for bigger 21-inch rollers finished in Jet Black, while additional exterior changes include a gloss black kidney grille mirror caps and side vents, an M-specific gloss black boot spoiler, black chrome M Sport exhaust system and an optional carbon fibre pack that will become available from August.
More dynamic
Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the changes have taken place underneath the skin where all model are equipped with a new swivel-bearing and wishbone on the front axle, model specific rear anti-roll bars, the Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers, a retuned Servotronic electric power steering with three modes; Comfort, Sport and Sport+, an M mode for the Stability Control and blue M compound brakes made up of drilled and ventilated discs measuring 395mm at the front and 370mm at the rear, with the caliper setup consists of fixed four-pistons at the front and one at the rear.
The subtle changes inside
Inside, the subtle interior changes consists of Black or Oyster finished Vernasca leather sport seats with M embossed headrests, carbon aluminium inlays, optional Merino leather upholstery in Ivory White or Tartufo, an M-bespoke digital instrument cluster, M steering wheel and gear lever, the former taken from the M5, and M graphics on the optional colour Heads-Up Display.
In the case of the Competition, BMW has also added Competition branded M Sport bucket-style seats finished in Black or two bi-colour options; Adelaide Grey / Sakhir Orange or Sakhir Orange / Black, Alcantara inserts, a new Midnight Beige / Black Merino leather option and Competition branded door sills as well as badging on the centre console.
A new, stronger beating heart
While equipment levels are mostly carried over from the regular X3 and X4 M40i, it is all-new underneath the bonnet where the M debuts the S58 turbocharged straight-six engine that again displaces 3.0-litres, but with power upped to 353kW and torque to 600Nm, while in the Competition, the former increase to 375kW with torque kept as is.
Like the M5, BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system is entrusted with sending the amount of twist to the tar via the sports-optimised eight-speed Steptronic gearbox, but without the ability to be two-wheel drive only. Instead, the system offers two settings, 4WD and 4WD Sport, though with the ability to drift when the latter is selected.
As for performance, the X3 and X4 M will complete the 0-100km/h dash in 4.2 seconds, while the Competition brings this down to 4.1 seconds. As ever, all four models are electronically limited to 250km/h, but with the optional M Driver’s Package fitted, the V-Max is raised to 280km/h and 285km/h respectively.
South African availability
Heading for production in April, BMW South Africa has sprung a surprise by confirming availability of the Competition models first from the third quarter of this year, with the regular models following at a later stage.
