New BMW X3 begins trial production at Chennai

BMW, Upcoming Cars | By Mohd Asrar | July 5, 2011 at 1:49 am |

BMW India has postponed the launch of all new X3 SUV (codename – F25) for last quarter of the 2011, BMW India told a leading financial daily. According to some source BMW X3 would be priced around Rs. 45 lakh in Indian market.

Andreas Schaaf, president of BMW India told Financial Chronicle, “We have already commenced trial production of X3 at our assembly plant near Chennai. The product will reach the market by the last quarter of this year. We will launch the concept for the new X3 from September onwards.”

According to company officials the new BMW X3 has been developed based on an interesting concept and it will perfectly suit Indian road conditions. Further the new X3 will bridge the gap between the X1 and X5 SUVs.

BMW X3 (F25) will be offered only with diesel engines and the petrol variants are expected later. Two variants we can expect are the xDrive20d with a 2.0 litre churning 184hp &380Nm and xDrive30d with 3.0 Litre 258hp/560Nm. These engines are also strapped on other models like the X1, 3 Series and 5 Series.

The X3 is a sales disappointment for BMW. This year BMW managed to sell a meager 2 units of X3 in India whereas the Q5 was a runaway success for Audi and sales peaked with 96 units in April and 70 units in February. BMW did not have the new X3 available to match Audi, but even otherwise the X3 was never giving Audi headaches.

The new X3 will be assembled as a CKD unit in India in the Chennai plant.

Also see - 2012 BMW X3 SUV to hit Indian roads on June 23rd

More pictures of New BMW X3 -