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2021 BMW X3 facelift leaked

Updated mid-size luxury SUV leaks ahead of debut, with revised front-end styling and a luscious green exterior hue.


The upcoming 2021 BMW X3 facelift has leaked, ahead of its full unveiling expected in the next two months.

A sole image published on the homepage of BMW's Spanish website appears to show the updated X3 free of camouflage, with changes visible in the low-resolution view shown including taller front-side air intakes, slimmer LED headlights, revised kidney grilles, and a subtly-tweaked tail-light signature.

Blue M-branded brake calipers and an M badge on the front quarter confirm we're looking at an M Sport package-equipped model – with the large alloy wheels (similar in design to the current X3 M40i) and what appears to be a studded bronze grille pattern suggest this could be the sub-flagship M40i performance model.

If so, it's expected the outgoing M40i's 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six petrol engine will carry over in Australia, sending 285kW and 500Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Above: The leaked image, with the brightness increased in Photoshop to make the X3's updated styling elements a little clearer.

European models could gain a retune from 265kW to 275kW, along with a fuel-saving mild-hybrid system, though that's yet to be confirmed.

Little else is known about the facelifted X3, however it's widely speculated the interior will benefit from revised materials and a restyled automatic gear selector, given the mid-size SUV already gained BMW's latest infotainment software as part of a running update in April 2020.

We caught our first glimpse at the updated X3 M flagship through spy shots in January 2021 – click here to read that story.

The 2021 BMW X3 facelift (or LCI, short for Life Cycle Impulse) should be unveiled in the coming months, with reputable BMW insider and BimmerPost forum member ynguldyn claiming production will commence in August 2021.


Below: The current BMW X3 M40i

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Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

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