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CUTE UTE.(News)
Byline: WES RAYNAL
When BMW's new X3 arrived at our doorstep a while back, we weren't really sure what to expect. Would it be a small, truck-like X5? Or perhaps more a svelte, slick handler, like a tallish 3 Series could potentially be? Just what, exactly?
With a couple of weeks behind the wheel, well, frankly we're still not sure. Yet it might not matter which it is. It seems America's SUV appetite-at some 4 million utes a year-will swallow darn near anything.
The X3 went from concept to production in an amazingly short two years, and today X3 is built in Austria (Cover Story, Dec. 8, 2003). After a quick walk-around we can honestly say it is a handsome, properly sized SUV (at 179.7 inches long, it is similar to Mitsubishi's Outlander) that is only four inches shorter and 600 pounds lighter than its big brother X5.
BMW's 225-hp, 3.0-liter straight six powered this test vehicle. Regardless of what plat- form it is fitted in, this is one of our favorite engines. It is silky-smooth and has a near-perfect power curve (there is 214 lb-ft of torque). The six puts its pow- er down through a five-speed automatic transmission, though a five-speed manual comes standard. It has an awd system BMW dubs xDrive, developed with Bosch. xDrive sends 60 percent of power to the rear wheels unless it detects slip, at which point it adjusts power to where the X3 needs it, based on road conditions, gear selection and steering wheel input. If necessary, xDrive can deploy 100 percent power to the front or to the rear.
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