The current X3 may be past its prime, but BMW is happy to report sales are still going strong. So much so that the aging G01 generation was the company’s most popular individual model in 2023. It racked up 350,000 sales. For the sake of clarity, the 3 Series lineup was still ahead if we take into consideration the more practical Touring.

The continuing success of the X3/iX3 comes somewhat as a surprise considering the “G45” is right around the corner. It would seem people are not willing to wait for the next-generation model and choose to buy the outgoing vehicle. That’s not a bad decision since it’s a matter of preference. For example, some customers would rather have the old infotainment with physical buttons instead of having to rely almost exclusively on the touchscreen or iDrive knob.

Attached below is a snippet from the BMW Group Annual Report 2023 with the sales results that bundle models rather than showing how individual cars performed.

Now that we know the X3 was the best-selling BMW product last year, it’s a good opportunity to remind you that the i4 M50 was #1 for BMW M. The M Performance i4 also came out on top the year before.

The new X3 and iX3 won’t be cut from the same cloth anymore. While the former will stick to the tried-and-tested CLAR platform, the latter will transition to Neue Klasse. The revamped luxury crossover goes on sale later this year with combustion engines. The fully electric variant won’t enter production until the second half of 2025. It’s going to be made at BMW’s new plant in Debrecen, Hungary.

Since we mentioned an M Performance model earlier, it’s worth noting the not-quite-M X3 will go by a different name. BMW is retiring the M40i to make room for an M50, possibly with a bit more power. Yes, without the “i” at the end. The next X3 will be among the first models to switch to the new nomenclature that deletes the last letter on models powered by gasoline engines. The diesels and plug-in hybrids will retain the “d” and “e,” respectively. A follow-up to today’s X3 M40d is unlikely to happen.

The fourth-gen X3 enters production in August, so the world premiere is only a few months away.

Source: BMW