2011 BMW X3: Paris Motor Show 2010

The 2011 BMW X3 gets its first public outing at the Paris Motor Show

It’s hard to believe, I know. But until this weekend at the Paris Motor Show there had not been a public reveal of the 2011 BMW X3. It feels like it should already be running around the roads. After all, it was back in July that we got all the official bumph and photos on the 2011 BMW X3 and here we are – months later – with it showing up at Paris as a ‘New’ BMW.

Still, it is a new BMW and as such deserves a bit of coverage, not that there’s really anything new to come out of Paris on the X3. But recapping on new stuff is no bad thing, particularly when months have elapsed since we got the last lot of info (although we did report on an M Sports Package for the 2011 X3 a week or so after the official stuff from BMW).

Actually, the new X3 looks a more convincing bit of kit than the old X3. Just like all these high-riding soft-roading SUVs its is a cynical marketing product pampering to customers’ desire to sit up high and drive something a bit butch.

Not that BMW need to be castigated for that, they – just like most manufacturers - are simply reacting to the market. But the X3 isn’t a serious, hard-core off-roader and most buyers would spend less and get more by opting for a 3-Series. Still, it’s not BMW’s fault we don’t use our brains when we buy (me included).

At least with the new X3 buyers will get a bigger car with more kit and better quality materials. It won’t even cost any more than the old X3. BMW say the BMW X3 xDrive20d SE is £115 cheaper than the old X3. Which is hard to argue with.

A more convincing high-riding 3 Series than the last X3. And its move upwards distances it from the X1.

By Cars UK