BMW X4: Less Function, More Form
The final details (and the definitive form) of the BMW X4 have been presented in Geneva. The new vehicle takes the successful recipe of the X6 (take a regular SUV and chop off the back to create a sedan-coupe on steroids), and adapts it to a smaller package. For this particular application, it’s the X3 that is being used as a donor car.
The design is actually really close to the X6. That’s not a bad thing, considering how well that vehicle sold in the last few years. With an overall length of 4671 mm (14 more than the X3) and a height of 1624 mm, the X4 looks sure-footed on the road. There are huge air dams in the front bumpers, and the LED headlights will remind everyone that you drive a BMW. The X4 features a sportier suspension and more direct steering than the SUV on which it is based, just like the X6.
Inside, the seats have been slightly lowered to compensate for the sloped roofline. The iDrive Touch system is available, as well as an overhead display for important driver information.
All X4 models will use the xDrive all-wheel drive system, which splits torque between all four wheels in real time. The 8-speed Steptronic transmission will be used in all versions, except the X4 xDrive 20d. This one is a nice little diesel model with a 6-speed manual transmission, but this version has virtually no chance of coming here. The North American engine lineup will likely be the same as the X3, which means a 4 cylinder turbo developing 240 horsepower, and the turbo inline 6 pumping out 300 hp. Will we ever get a sample of BMW’s diesel? Only time will tell…
The X4 will be built in Spartanburg, USA, and should be in your nearest dealership’s showroom sometime in the next months.
