3 on x3

Make Way for the X5’s Baby Brother

There is a school of thought that argues that the perfection of any work of art depends on the degree of intimacy in which idea and form appear worked into each other. The idea of a perfect mini-SUV, for example, could very well be one that involves the marriage of the driving dynamics and looks of a European marquee into a vehicle that stands a few inches above standard sedan specifications. With the idea of perfection getting a tangible "form" in the BMW X3, it comes as no surprise that the vehicle debuted to quite high expectations early this year. For some as yet unknown reason, BMW Philippines deemed it proper to let this writer walk their latest baby into its first test drive around the streets of Metro Manila. Here are our findings.

First, one look at the BMW X3 is enough to send one close to the edges of ecstasy. For all intents and purposes, the BMW X3 is the X5’s "mini me" — an only slightly smaller version, but a smaller one nonetheless. Therefore, it is without a doubt a sight to behold. And, with fenders flowing almost as smoothly into the vehicle’s cockpit the way a 3-Series sedan’s would, we’d argue it was even more visually-appealing than its bigger brother. Standard 17-inch rims with matching low-profile Pirellis make for an even slicker profile, we’d wager. Let’s put it this way, outside, there isn’t anything that says that this mini-SUV project from the Bavarian auto-maker does not conform to what a beautiful mini-SUV should be.

Walk through its sturdy doors, and what greets you is again a miniaturized version of the X5‘s interior. Coarse yet classy dark gray finishing with the occasional woodgrain trimming give the X3 that SUV-tough feel from the inside. Console controls are standard BMW — which means that there’s an air of functional classiness that doesn’t necessarily go overboard in the aesthetics department. Its seats are wrapped in fine leather that do not necessarily appropriate couch-potato softness, but are comfortable nonetheless — and quite frankly, that’s the way it ought to be where vehicles are concerned. Score another plus for the Bavarian design engineers.

We decided to take the X3 on two varying test drives over a rainy June weekend. Driving through smooth yet twisting roads in nearby Taytay, we discovered what we had always suspected — that the X3 could attack corners as well as any BMW out there. The vehicle’s center of gravity and intelligent xDrive technology make for an engaging time behind the wheel as far as tackling a smooth yet twisty road goes. Unlike most SUVs, the X3 suffers less from irritating understeer, partly because xDrive can transfer output to the rear axle when the need arises. Maneuvering, therefore, is yes — almost car-like. We then took the vehicle offroad where mud and uneven terrain would test the xDrive’s single speed torque transfer capabilities. This, plus the fact that the X3 is equipped with brake based traction control and a hill-descent function, made tackling the makeshift road made of mud and rocks quite the enjoyable experience.

So, on smooth yet twisting roads, it drives like a car while on rough roads, it reacts like a very competent SUV. Is the X3 then the idea of the mini-SUV made perfect in its corporeal form? Not exactly. This being BMW’s first foray into the mini-SUV segment, it still has room for improvement. Here’s where — suspension. Stiffer suspension than that found in the 3-Series becomes evident when the inevitable pothole comes in the way of the X3 and the road. The vehicle can sometimes be victimized by squeaks and rattles because of this. A bouncier feel is also more evident especially when one is seated at the rear. Place bets that it won’t take long for the Bavarian engineers to address this tiny infraction.

As for the engine’s performance, a powerful straight-six, four-valve 3.0-liter engine pumps enough juice into a five speed automatic gearbox with a tiptronic function to make you feel totally in command of the vehicle. You’ll find it easy to overtake any bugger on the road with relative ease (save for that one evil Subaru Impreza who was probably running at around 80kph past the speed limit one Friday night along EDSA). We weren’t able to strictly measure fuel consumption (so that BMW Philippines could lend the X3 to us again soon — hint, hint!) but roughly we’d say it was appropriate to the car’s performance. It won’t save you fuel the way a compact sedan would, but it won’t dry your pocket either.

So what‘s the verdict on the X3? Depends on what your idea of a beautiful mini-SUV is. If you want a vehicle that runs smoothly on crisp roads and can take on an off-road adventure anytime, the X3 should score particularly high on your score sheet. If you’re looking for a vehicle that’s adaptive to the road conditions of the Philippines, you’ll have some adjusting to do yourself. If you want a vehicle that’s drop-dead gorgeous, the X3 should be high atop your list. If you want an SUV that can accelerate like crazy, here’s one vehicle that ought to make your list. Now, how many more high marks than low points did the X3 get in that round-up? Guess you know what the verdict is. — Dong Magsajo

This X Has Got Your Number

A BMW is almost always a special car to drive. It has that gratifying "thunk" when you slam the doors shut, the steering response and throttle responses are practically telepathic, and you just have to love the way it carves up the curves with perfect handling. Drivers who love to drive, as opposed to people who just like to go very fast in a straight line, will always appreciate a BMW. Several years ago, a BMW M3 based on the E36 platform was named "Best Handling Car Over $30,000" in a series of subjective and objective, instrumented tests by the influential Car and Driver magazine, besting arguably sportier competitors like the Porsche 911, the Dodge Viper GTS, and Acura NSX. Even lesser (not to mention higher-end) models before and today continue to drip with praise from satisfied owners and fearless motoring journalists.

Few car manufacturers will bother to place the battery at the back of the car just to improve the weight distribution. This X3, like that winning M3, has the battery back there too. It’s all part of finding the perfect handling balance for every BMW model, because a fantastic chassis is as important as a powerful engine. But of course, the X3 is not a sports coupé. It’s not meant to post the fastest lap times around the Nurburgring circuit. It’s not even a Sports Utility Vehicle but rather, a Sports Activity Vehicle as BMW defines it.

Are they being nitpicky with terms? If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then…it’s not so easy to characterize anymore. Sure, it will wade through floods and happily gobble up muddy trails with that fabulous xDrive system apportioning torque to whichever wheels have traction (even if there’s just one wheel left on the ground), but would you honestly stomach scraping its lovely flanks in the jungles? Would you enter it in one of those "Tough Truck" challenges, jump off 10-foot drops for the cameras and the upset insurance agent? ‘Course not.

Here’s what you’re gonna do with an X3: load up with the family, the Golden Retriever, a weekend’s worth of gear, and hightail it to the club resort at velocities that will confound the guy in the Japanese SUV behind you who’s topped out at 160kph and praying for divine intervention in the switchbacks. Dig deeper, past the kickdown switch on the throttle pedal that’ll select the lowest gear possible, and, OMG, you’ll be miles ahead kissing 200 on the speedometer and, oops, did you just miss your highway exit?

It’s insane how this Bimmer does the business of going fast without scaring you to pieces; just predictable, fabulous handling, steering, and braking to complement one of the sweetest sounding, mass production inline-6 motors ever. Lovely, and it’s not even a sports sedan! The large frontal area isn’t as pretty to the wind, though. Get that M3 if you don’t like wind noise at the A-pillars the next time you break the Skyway speed limit.

Because it’s based on the 3-series platform, and because it’s not supposed to steal the thunder of the X5, the X3’s cockpit is purposeful and a tad cozier. It presents just the essentials for fast driving without any extreme-zoot buttons and dials. Those "Dynamic Stability Control" and "Hill Descent Control" buttons are pretty useful too, aside from being full of "Wow" factor for envious friends. You’ve got your basic black plastics, leathers, and resins, red instrument lighting, and a touch of lovely maple (well, I think it’s maple) trim on the door pulls. And you just have to love the automatic tilt-down function for the side mirrors whenever you shift into Reverse.

As for the exterior, half the fun is being seen in one of the most aggressive shapes in the crossover-vehicle category. The other half is knowing it also happens to have a propeller badge on the hood. As crossovers go, the X3 has a stiff ride. It’s not bone-jarringly stiff; just firm enough to remind you that near-flat cornering prowess and superb driving dynamics equal to (or better) than most sports sedans don’t come free. If the family demands you get a wagon-type vehicle but you’ve just absolutely got to have a sports sedan before you kick the bucket, this X has got your number. — Andy Leuterio

Driving The New BMW X3 3.0

I first drove BMW’s new and uber-chic X3 last summer — March to be exact — at the Subic International Raceway. I, together with a handful of journalists, sampled the 2.5-liter inline-6 version at speeds that revealed the limits of our own instincts for self-preservation more than the vehicles’.

Suffice to say that BMW’s kinder-SUV (or SAV for Sports Activity Vehicle in BMW-speak) acquitted itself well in repeated tests of hard acceleration, high-speed cornering and panic braking. Credit went to the X3’s inherently good balance resulting from its near-perfect (50:50) front-to-rear weight balance (the battery is mounted under the rear cargo area), its low center of gravity (the front drive driveshaft passes through the oil sump to let the engine sit lower), and sport-tuned suspensions with low-profile 17-inch tires. At no time did it ever feel like a typical tall SUV that would tilt, or worse, tip over, during spirited driving.

Biggest kudos, however, is reserved for BMW’s new state-of-the-art xDrive all-wheel-drive system. We were impressed by what it can do when we viewed it in a video presentation but it was nothing to what we felt when we took the car up to speed and started thrashing it around the course trying to make it put a foot wrong. xDrive simply delivered engine torque to the wheels that had the best traction in a fraction of a second (but is rear-wheel-drive in normal high-traction driving). xDrive is so advanced and so competent that BMW fitted it on the more expensive X5.

Break the laws of physics with xDrive and BMW’s Dynamic Stability Control or DSC will then intervene. End result? Lots of forward motion with almost zero understeer/oversteer and the resultant tire squeal, even at high cornering speeds. High-performance driving credentials established, it was time to take the X3 to the real world of Metro Manila driving.

This time Prestige Cars BMW in Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati lent me a silver-gray X3 with the more potent 3.0-liter inline-6 gasoline motor. Like the equally high-tech and sweet-sounding 2.5, the 3.0 sports twin cams, 24 valves, infinitely variable bi-VANOS camshaft adjustment with adaptive knock control and individual coils. These high-tech measures are responsible for a heady 231 bhp which enables the X3 3.0 to attain a top speed of 224 kph. Both engines can be mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed automatic with Steptronic manual shifting although most of the units ordered — and those that we drove — are the latter.

Inside, it’s first-class BMW all the way: high-quality and rich-smelling materials, generous space, lots of passive safety features (front, side and head airbags) and too many bells and whistles to mention.

Gripes? If I really had to look for one, it would have to be the stiff ride which is more felt on smooth roads at low city speeds which sometimes leaves the occupants bouncing ever so slightly. The cure? Just drive fast and revel in the sports car-like reflexes of this go-anywhere vehicle. But seriously, this vehicle seems to have been more designed for those who are genuine Bimmer-philes rather than those who just want to look like one.

All things considered the X3, especially in P4,150,000 3.0 guise, is much more the ultimate go-anywhere driving machine than a rolling status symbol. Its tidier (yet still a true 5-seater) size, potent powerplants, overachieving chassis and drivetrain, and lower sticker price make it a smarter buy than even the excellent X5. Both in terms of price and performance, the X3 simply has no peer. — Manny N. De Los Reyes