Having debuted earlier this year, BMW has now revealed local pricing and spec for arguably its most critical plug-in vehicle; the iX3.
While its counterparts, the iX and i4, pack more off-the-wall visuals and more ambitious tech, the iX3 goes after the brand’s conservative customers and is likely to be sold in higher volumes; particularly given that it’s based on one of the brand’s most popular nameplates, the X3.
As previously reported, it features an 80kWh lithium-ion battery with a significant mass-to-capacity ratio paired to a 210kW/400Nm rear-mounted motor, allowing the model to accelerate to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds on its way to an electronically limited 180km/h top speed.
Most curiously, the iX3 is rear-wheel drive instead of the all-wheel drive we’ve come to expect in X3 models. Range is rated at 460km on the WLTP cycle, meaning that a real-world figure is probably in the ballpark of 400km per charge. That’s not bad given the iX3’s size.
Two flavours of iX3 are heading our way; the $114,900 Inspiring grade and the flagship $124,900 Impressive (yes, those trim names are real). This means it’s significantly cheaper than the larger iX, which starts at $163,900 and caps at almost $210,000.
The Inspiring comes standard with an M Sport Package (a growing trend among all locally offered BMWs), 19-inch wheels, adaptive suspension, a panoramic glass roof, climate control, leather upholstery, heated electric front seats, electric tailgate, wireless charging, and more.
The Impressive (sigh), meanwhile, adds 20-inch wheels, acoustic glass, head-up display, gesture control for the 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a pumped-in noise system called BMW IconicSounds Electric, and more.
Among the options is adaptive M suspension, which can be had for an additional $1,100. BMW’s nifty Laserlight headlights are a $2,500 option. And buyers can also get the grille and mirror caps done in shadow chrome for $1,100.
The new iX3 will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2021.
