We were aware that BMW is readying a smaller brother to the X6 since the beginning of the year when the brand’s CEO Norbert Reithofer confirmed plans for the X4 while also stating that it will be built at the automaker’s Spartanburg plant in the States.
Now we come to hear from Autoweek magazine that the (supposedly) sporty looking crossover will debut in near-production form as a thinly disguised concept at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show in January, before it hits global markets the following year.
The X4 is said to be to the X3 what the larger X6 (pictured above) is to the X5 in terms of both looks and mechanical hardware. This means the X4 will borrow its platform and diesel and gasoline engine range from the more mundane looking but roomier X3.
The publication goes on to report that the Bavarian company has plans to offer an X4 M version motivated by the new 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, currently being developed for the M3 sedan and M4 coupe models, as well as a diesel-powered M Performance variant in the likes of the X5 M50d and X6 M50d.
In fact, the X4 M Performance is said to use a “de-tuned” version of the tri-turbocharged straight-six, 3.0-liter diesel unit found in the aforementioned models, in which it produces 381-horses.
BMW X3 & X6 
