BMW X3 M50 balances power, comfort and efficiency
From behind the multifunction helm you get the sense that you're driving a premium car and you are driving an X3 that's larger than any model before. The new iteration stretches 4,755mm in length, 1,920mm width and 1,660mm height, making it 34mm longer, 29mm wider and 16mm taller that the previous X3.
You notice the growth spurt everywhere, especially between the lanes, where it can drive autonomously. Occupants enjoy more leg, head and shoulder room, and more luggage can be swallowed by the expanded boot with a power tailgate.
At times it felt like commanding an X5 but it's nicely measured and feels poised, refined and powerful, thanks to the 280kW and 580Nm 3.0 l twin-turbo straight-six petrol engine that's paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system. It has a mild-hybrid 48V system injecting 13kW to the mix and silently powering the car at crawl speeds.
It kicks out a combined 293kW and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.6 secs to run out of steam at 250km/h. It's a tarmac bruiser when you need it to be that also corners keenly.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
an hour ago
- The Herald
Hamilton says he's 'useless' and Ferrari should replace him
A despondent Lewis Hamilton said he was 'useless' and suggested Ferrari needed another driver after qualifying 12th for the Hungarian Grand Prix with teammate Charles Leclerc on pole position. The seven-time Formula One world champion, who is 40 and the second oldest driver on the grid, has an unrivalled record in Hungary with eight wins and nine poles but Saturday's performance was far from those heights. 'It's me every time. I'm useless, absolutely useless,' he told Sky Sports television when explaining why he had said 'every time, every time' over the radio after failing to make the cut by 15 thousandths of a second. 'The team have no problem. You've seen the car's on pole. 'So we probably need to change driver.' Hamilton joined Ferrari from Mercedes in January and has yet to stand on the podium for Formula One's oldest, most glamorous and successful team though he did win the Shanghai sprint from pole in March. Leclerc has had five top three finishes in 13 races so far this season. Questioned later by F1 TV about his bleak assessment, Hamilton doubled down: 'I drove terribly. It is what it is,' he said. The Briton has not won a grand prix for more than a year now and his podium drought — a run of 15 races — is the longest of a record-breaking career that started spectacularly in 2007. He is 30 points behind Leclerc in the standings and has beaten the Monegasque only twice in 13 grand prix starts. In qualifying, Hamilton's big weak spot of late despite 104 career poles, Leclerc leads 10-4. Hamilton had recognised earlier in the week the challenge he has faced at Maranello and said he needed to get away and recharge during the August break and there were sure to be 'some tears at some point'. 'The last god knows how many seasons have been hard in their own way,' added the winner of a record 105 races from 369 starts. 'This one has definitely been the most intense one, I would say, just from a work perspective,' he told reporters. 'Integrating into a new culture and into a new team. It's not gone smoothly in all areas, and it's been a real battle.'
Mail & Guardian
4 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Omoda fixes initial shortcomings of the C5 X Series
When Omoda entered the South African market in 2023 with the C5, it turned heads with its striking looks and how many features were present in a car selling for under R500 000. However, one thing many of us were skeptical about was Omoda's decision to pair a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine to a CVT gearbox. While it didn't make it a bad car, the CVT in the crossover contributed lazy initial throttle response and jerkyness. But Omoda recently released the C5 X Series, which is not a special edition of the original C5, just a refreshed version of the model with light aesthetic changes and improvements to the gearbox and suspension. The marque has ditched the CVT for a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) gearbox in the C5 X Series but it must be noted that the CVT is still present in the C5 Style and Street variants which are available at a lower price. The DCT allows for rapid gear shifts, which enhances performance and gets rid of that lazy initial throttle response as the vehicle is always primed to shift into the next gear. This improvement also allows easier overtakes on the highway and makes the vehicle a pleasure to drive. The improved suspension also contributes to the silky-smooth drive that the C5 X Series provides. Omoda has moved from the beam axle suspension to a rear multi-link suspension. The beam axle suspension is where a single beam connects the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle. This design is commonly found in heavier vehicles and is a dependent suspension, meaning that the movement of one wheel directly affects the other, while the multi-link suspension is an independent suspension that uses multiple control arms to connect the wheel hub to the vehicle's chassis. This means that the C5 X Series has more precision when it comes to handling, ride comfort and stability. I enjoyed driving the C5 X Series more than the initial Chinese vehicles, which all used the CVT gearboxes, although the figures around power and torque remained the same. It was easier to access the vehicle's power without feeling as if I was dragging the engine. In terms of fuel consumption, Omoda claims 6.9 litres/100km. I managed 8.1 litres/100km, which is far above that figure, but it went down to around 7.5 litres/100km on the open road. On the outside, Omoda has not done too much. It has redesigned the front fascia to give the vehicle a sportier look. The diamond matrix grille is more polished and the headlights have been restyled, while the daytime running lamps have been sculpted for a more dynamic look. The brand has tried to bring the looks of the C5 more in line with the flagship C9. I feel this is good for the C5, and Omoda, because it speaks to building brand identity as it continues to expand in South Africa. On the inside, the cabin is tech heavy, clean, modern and comfortable. The dual 10.25-inch screens across the front feed into the stylish interior and integrate into the cabin effortlessly. You also have a sunroof and some very nice ambient lighting in the cabin. Verdict and pricing Omoda has listened to feedback on the original C5 and produced a much more refined and better driving experience in the C5 X Series. After passing 1 000 vehicle sales for the month of June, it's easy to predict that the C5 X Series will be the one of the brand's biggest sellers going forward, especially because the brand has kept the price so competitive. The C5 X Series is available in two variants: the C5 Lux X and the Elegance X. The former is priced at R425 900 and the latter at R465 900. The C5 X Series comes with a five-year/150 000km warranty, five-year/70 000km service plan and a 10-year/1 million kilometre engine warranty as part of the standard price.
The Herald
11 hours ago
- The Herald
Leclerc takes pole for Hungarian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc grabbed an unexpected pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday with McLaren's Formula One leader Oscar Piastri joining the surprised Ferrari driver on the front row. McLaren's Lando Norris, Piastri's closest title rival, qualified third with George Russell lining up fourth for Mercedes. The pole was Ferrari's first of the season in a regular grand prix. Leclerc's teammate and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who qualified only 12th at the Hungaroring, took a sprint pole in Shanghai in March. 'Today, I don't understand anything in Formula One,' commented Leclerc, who exclaimed 'What? Mamma Mia!' when told he was on pole by 0.026 of a second. 'Honestly, the whole qualifying was extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it's not exaggerating. 'It's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had. It's the most unexpected, for sure.' Piastri, 16 points clear of Norris in what looks like a two-horse race, was almost as surprised as the Monegasque. 'I wasn't expecting to be second to a Ferrari this weekend,' said the Australian, who won in Hungary last year and had been fastest in Saturday's final practice after Norris dominated Friday's sessions. McLaren had taken eight previous poles this season and qualified one-two in Hungary last time around. McLaren have also won 10 of 13 races so far but overtaking is not easy at the circuit outside Budapest and Leclerc has a real chance of Ferrari's first win of 2025 if he can stave off the McLarens. Norris felt Leclerc had risked a bit more with his final flying lap, with the wind changing towards the end of the session. 'I think it's going to be an exciting race. I would expect us to have a bit more pace than Charles, so I'm looking forward to it,' said the Briton. Behind the top four, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified fifth and sixth in a marked improvement for that team. Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto will line up seventh for Sauber with reigning champion Max Verstappen eighth fastest for Red Bull. Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar rounded out the top 10 on the grid. Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda failed to make it through the first phase — dropping out after his predecessor in the Red Bull seat Lawson went faster — and will start 16th.
