BMW X3 M and X4 M, SUV sportiness with 480 CV of power or 510 CV in their Competition version

They have kept us waiting a little, perhaps especially in the case of the BMW X4, and at a time when we knew both were putting the finishing touches on the Nürburgring circuit, but the German brand has finally gone all out when it comes to SUV sportiness, and we now have with us the X3 M and the X4 M, which also arrive in their respective supercharged versions Competition.

We will begin with the most visible part of both, their exterior, with a design specific to the fitted kit conceived by the M division to help improve aerodynamics and the cooling of their components. Furthermore, if we opt for the Competition versions, we will find changes to other elements that set them apart from their siblings, such as the front grille, the mirror housings, the side gills and the rear spoiler in High-Gloss Black. This shade, but in polished black, is also found on the 21-inch M alloy wheels offered as standard.

It should also be said that, for those who wish to express greater sportiness, BMW will make available from August the M Carbon exterior package. With this package we will have various carbon fibre elements, such as the front air intakes, the front bumper splitters, the rear diffuser and the mirror housings. In the Competition versions of both models, moreover, the rear spoiler will also be in carbon fibre if this package is fitted.

Inside, as is customary, BMW has combined its characteristic design with elements brought in by M to evoke a greater sportiness. Thus we find the sports leather steering wheel or the M selector lever, M-specific instrumentation, or the Vernasca leather upholstery that we will also find on the electrically adjustable sports seats. In the Competition versions we will also find differentiating features, for example, the seats become the M Sport sports seats with Merino leather upholstery that can optionally be two-tone with Alcantara details, or the specific plates for the door sills and the centre console.

Mechanically, both the X3 M and the X4 M will be powered by the 3,000 cc engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, delivering no less than 480 CV of power and 600 Nm of torque to both, paired with the M Steptronic eight-speed transmission with Drivelogic control, also using the M xDrive traction system debuted on the BMW M5 for power delivery, with this being biased preferentially towards the rear axle. Both accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds, with a combined consumption of 10.6 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 239 g/km.

If this power seems insufficient, we can always opt for the respective Competition versions of the X3 M and X4 M, in which, through revisions made to the 3.0 M TwinPower Turbo engine, the brand’s engineers manage to increase its power by 30 CV, thus delivering 510 CV and improving acceleration by 0.1 seconds. Despite this increase in power, BMW claims that both consumption and CO2 emissions remain at the same levels as the basic X3 M and X4 M.

In terms of dynamics there have also been changes compared with their smaller siblings, with the aim of making them even more manageable and allowing us to enjoy all the power its engine delivers. Both the BMW X3 M and the X4 M feature chassis specifications and exclusive reinforcements specific to them, as well as three modes that let us choose the setting we want for the dampers of the M sport suspension, in addition to the M-specific steering and more powerful brakes to ensure effective stopping. All of this will also be backed up by the driving modes of the M xDrive system, which will change the response of the engine, steering and transmission according to our needs.

Technical specifications of this car

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