Author: Qiu Kaijun

On August 29, the Chengdu International Auto Show opened. BMW, a luxury brand that actively explores the field of electrification, brought its new BMW iX3 and exhibited the technology and innovation flagship iX, which will be available in China at the end of this year.

The new BMW iX3 is a mid-term facelift model of the iX3, expected to be launched in September. At the Guangzhou Auto Show in 2020, the BMW iX3 was launched worldwide. After a few months of trial, the sales gradually stabilized. According to official data released by BMW, sales in the second quarter of 2021 have entered the fast lane of growth, with a quarter-on-quarter increase of up to 140% compared to the first quarter.

According to insurance data, iX3 sold 4,858 units in the second quarter, which is basically twice the 2,454 units in the first quarter.

The redesign of the BMW iX3 is a redesign of the X3 family, including the X3, iX3 and BMW X3 M. This also indicates that BMW is still advancing electrification under the strategy of “one model, multiple power sources”.

The new iX3 and X3 share the same basic redesign.

In terms of appearance, the BMW kidney grille size has further increased, enhancing its dominance. The 3D adaptive LED headlights have a flatter appearance. The rear taillights have been changed to 3D suspended LEDs and are smoked. The overall movement is more intense.

The biggest change is below the vehicle. In terms of the front face, the new iX3 uses the M Sport Package, with a wider and larger bottom air intake on the front bumper, and blue decorative panels on both sides of the air intake, adding a lot of sportiness, like fangs, more sharp. Moreover, the positions of the anti-collision beams on both sides have been changed to multi-convex surfaces, which look more compelling.

At the rear, the originally separate BMW i exclusive diffusers on both sides are now connected, with stronger overall unity.

In terms of the interior, the most eye-catching change is the enlargement of the center control screen. The originally trapezoidal 10.25-inch center control screen has become a basically rectangular 12.3-inch center control screen.

In addition, the physical buttons and shift lever of the center console have been redesigned. The start button originally located on the right side of the steering wheel is now integrated into the center console. The shift lever has changed from the slightly flat “big chicken leg” to a more spherical one.

![The start button is adjusted to the center console, and the gear lever is also redesigned.On the seat aspect, the new BMW iX3 is equipped with Sensatec perforated soft cushioned sport seats as standard across the entire range, further enhancing the balance of comfort and support.

In terms of the operating system, the iX3 still uses the seventh-generation BMW iDrive operating system and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, enabling users to achieve a diversified and personalized human-vehicle interaction mode. However, some content has been upgraded, such as Tencent Xiao Scene, which is now in its second generation.

In terms of the power system, the iX3 facelift has not changed, still using the fifth-generation eDrive electric drive system. The iX3 adopts an excitation motor with an efficiency of up to 93%, a maximum power of 210 kW, a motor peak torque of 400 Nm, and an official 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.8 seconds. At the same time, it is equipped with 811 battery packs that support a pure electric range of 500 km under the NEDC standard. The battery has a capacity of 80 kWh and a usable energy of 74 kWh.

On the wheel aspect, this upgrade makes iX3 available in two choices of 19-inch and 20-inch wheels.

From this mid-term facelift, it can be seen that BMW still insists on its own approach, seeking a balance between inheriting classics and breaking through innovations. The iX3 offers both familiar aspects and surprising details.

What is particularly noteworthy is that the new BMW iX3 is the first BMW model to combine the M badge and the i badge. This means that BMW believes that iX3 consumers are younger and more interested in sport performance. Therefore, the appearance and interior design of the iX3 exhibit a sporty style to meet the preferences of young people.

If this upgrade can achieve good results, BMW may be more bold in promoting electric vehicles to younger consumers.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.