Locally made X3 range now offers four and six-cylinder petrol, turbodiesel and plug-in hybrid powertrain options.
BMW has reintroduced the entry-level petrol engine to the X3 range after initially debuting the new fourth generation G45 with the ever-popular diesel-fuelled 20d as its range starter.
Electric assisted
Still wearing the 20 designation, albeit now without the “i” that long denoted fuel injection, the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol unit also gains a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and develops 140kW/310Nm.
Linked to the ever-present ZF-sourced eight-speed Steptronic gearbox, an additional eight kilowatts and 25 Nm is provided for short bursts thanks to the electric hardware.
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Unlike the 20d, the X3 20 is exclusively front-wheel drive, however, curiously, it is no longer affixed with the two-wheel drive denoting sDrive nomenclature as before.
Accordingly, the X3 20 will get from 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 218 km/h.
New trim level
Assembled locally at BMW’s Rosslyn plant outside Pretoria, the 20 comes in three trim grades: base, M Sport and the newly added Pure Design.
Similar in concept to the new 1 and 2 Series, the Pure Design bundles a number of features together without requiring the ticking of individual option boxes.
These include 19-inch alloy wheels, the 14.9-inch iDrive infotainment system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that make up the Curved Display, alloy satin decorative interior inserts, a panoramic sunroof and the Iconic Glow illuminated kidney grille surround.
Also standard are the uprated Harman Kardon sound system, LED headlights, electric tow bar, Park Assist, ambient lighting and the imitation Veganza leather upholstered sport seats in black or brown.
Rest of the range unchanged
The inclusion of the Pure Design ups the local X3 count eight, with no changes having been made to the 20d, the plug-in hybrid xDrive 30e or the flagship M50.
As a reminder, the oil-burner’s mild-hybrid 2.0-litre unit outputs 145kW/400Nm, with the same eight kilowatt and 25 Nm as the 20 available for short spells.
By contrast, the 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six in the M50 makes 293kW/580N, which increases by 13kW/200Nm thanks to its mild-hybrid system.
Made exclusively at Rosslyn for the local and export markets, the xDrive 30e combines the 20’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with a 19.7-kWh lithium-ion battery pack driving a rear axle mounted electric motor.
Combined, the setup outputs 220kW/450Nm, allowing for an EV-only range of 90 km and 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.
Price
As with the rest of the X3 range, the 20 is covered by a five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
- X3 20 – R1 047 760
- X3 20 M Sport – R1 097 760
- X3 20 Pure Design – R1 107 760
- X3 xDrive20d – R1 136 417
- X3 xDrive 20d M Sport – R1 186 417
- X3 xDrive 30e – R1 260 000
- X3 xDrive 30e M Sport – R1 310 000
- X3 M50 – R1 545 447
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