cars news 10: Spied! Next-Gen BMW X3 Caught Testing in Germany

The next-generation BMW X3 was caught testing in full camouflage, but even that wasn’t enough to hide its production body. Early prototypes of this model seemed to use the current model’s body panels, but new details show through on this prototype.

The mule we caught testing shows off parts of the front bumper, signature kidney grilles, revised lower grille, and updated headlight design. While the lights themselves aren’t production spec, we can expect to see a similar housing shape on the production model. From the side, the body looks to be more sculpted than the outgoing model, but the camo makes it hard to tell for sure.

At the rear, the lights are clearly not the ones that will be on the production model, but we can see a dual exhaust setup, where the current model features a single exhaust. The camouflage makes it hard to make out many other details, but it looks as though the rear bumper is showing off an updated design as it seems to protrude more than the current model.

We heard previously that the 2017 BMW X3 will feature new engines, including a 2.0-liter turbodiesel I-4 and new 3.0-liter turbodiesel I-6. It’s expected that these engines will have higher horsepower, more low-end torque, and offer better fuel economy. A range of gas engines will be offered in the U.S., including a 422-hp version of the current M3’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter I-6 in the X3 M. BMW will also add a plug-in hybrid powertrain that pairs a 2.0-liter gas engine to a 95-hp electric motor for an electric-only range of 25 miles.

Photo Source: CarPix