The talented BMW exterior designer, Erik Goplen, the same very guy who designed the iconic E46 3 Series, is back in action with the new F25 BMW X3. Same as the first generation X3, the new 2011 BMW X3 is a product design of the famous BMW DesignworksUSA shop in California.

The American designer, working as a creative director for DesignworksUSA, also designed the BMW E46 3 series, one of the most popular and highly appreciated 3 Series to date. Goplen is an avid classic car collector – he owns 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta; and in one of his interviews he said: “We have a design heritage to maintain”.

Clearly a very passionate and talented designer, and we are glad to see him back in the game.

According to our sources, the new F25 BMW X3′s exterior design was done in DesignWorksUSA, while the interior is a Munich-creation by Ulrich Ströhle.

The new X3 is just days away from its unveiling and the first teaser photos hit the web yesterday. The second generation X3 brings out an evolutionary design, rather than the revolutionary one expected by some customers.  The F25 X3 maintains its somewhat boxy look, but offers more rounded corners than the first generation.

Underneath the surface is where the customers will see and experience the changes. The  second generation is all about ”reverse engineering” the previous E83 X3, and BMW considered all the positive and negative feedback received from the previous model.  The new model is more refined and will offer an impressive list of options.

The 2011 BMW X3 goes on sale late this year in Europe, while North American sales will commence in 2011.

BMW E46 3 Series Sketches