The BMW X3 M Competition may be much pompous than the X5 M but that shouldn’t make you think it’s any less exciting to drive.
Matt Farah recently tested out the X3 M Competition and is full of praise for the performance-focused SUV. With one quick look at the spec sheet, it’s easy to understand why the X3 M is proving to be an absolute weapon during tests, even against much more powerful SUVs like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
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Power is provided by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine and while that powertrain may sound familiar, it is not the same engine as the previous-generation BMW M3 and M4. Instead, it is a new engine that premiered in the X3 M and X4 M and will soon find its way into the latest-generation M3 and M4 duo. In Competition form, this engine is good for 503 hp and 441 lb-ft (598 Nm) of torque, all of which is sent through an eight-speed automatic transmission and an M-tuned all-wheel drive system.
Independent testing has shown that the X3 M Competition can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph (96 km/h) in less than 3.5 seconds. However, most of that performance comes because of the launch control system. Farah notes that it actually takes 4.7 seconds for the SUV to run from 5-60 mph.
Those who don’t need quite the performance offered by the flagship X3 M Competition always have the option of buying the ‘regular’ X3 M. This variant produces 472 hp and according to BMW, hits 60 mph in 4.1 seconds although we suspect that time is conservative.