BMW M’s Best-Selling Car Could Get A Major Power Boost

Article Summary

• Long before its facelift, the X3 M50 is reportedly in line for an 11% power increase.
• A new report alleges that BMW will massage the X3 M50’s turbocharged 3.0-liter engine to deliver an additional 44 hp.
• If the rumor holds water, the X3 M50 will pack 437 hp from a revised B58 engine shared with the soon-to-be-revealed M350 xDrive.

As we reported not that long ago, BMW isn’t planning to facelift the current-generation X3 anytime soon. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the G45 will be left untouched. According to a fresh report from our German pals at BimmerToday, the X3 M50 could receive a significant power upgrade early next year by adopting the latest version of the B58.

If the report is accurate, last year’s best-selling BMW M model will gain about 11 percent in Bavarian-bred horses. It’s apparently bound to happen without waiting for the long-delayed facelift, which supposedly isn’t coming until 2029. The turbocharged inline-six is the same 3.0-liter unit found in the upcoming 3 Series (G50). Specifically, the M350 xDrive.

BimmerToday reports that BMW will dial the X3 M50’s engine up to 443 PS, which works out to 437 horsepower. If the rumor holds water, that would represent a pretty significant upgrade of 44 hp over the existing M Performance SUV. While there’s no word on torque, the B58 makes 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) in the M-badged X3. However, the top-spec 3 Series will have 580 Nm (428 lb-ft). Hopefully, that 40 Nm (30 lb-ft) bump is also heading to the not-quite-M X3.

Power Increase Likely, But Not Confirmed

For now, treat the quoted 443 PS and the presumed torque bump as speculative figures rather than confirmed specifications. If the info proves accurate, the X3 M50 will essentially get a second wind long before receiving the LCI treatment. Production may start this December, meaning the first vehicles with the extra oomph could be shipped in early 2027. However, it’s best to wait for BMW to confirm it.

And while BMW may or may not level up the X3 M50, it’s cooking a different M Performance X3. We’ve long reported that an iX3 M60 is happening, and there’s a good chance we’ll see it before the end of 2026 or early next year. As spy shots have already revealed, the M division will go a step further and do a full-on X3 M with four electric motors.

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Neue Klasse X3 Will Have To Wait

Even with a new gas-fueled M3 coming in 2028, we wouldn’t hold out hope for another X3 M with the S58 engine. The M50 will likely remain the range-topping model, but the silver lining is that more power may be on the way. Looking ahead, 2029 should finally bring the mid-cycle facelift, some five years after the model’s launch.

When it eventually arrives, the X3 is expected to gain some Neue Klasse-inspired exterior design elements. At the same time, it’ll receive BMW’s radically redesigned dashboard. Yes, that includes a 17.9-inch central touchscreen, the pillar-to-pillar windshield projection, and even fewer conventional controls. In fact, the pre-LCI model will go down in history as one of the last BMWs with the iDrive rotary knob, alongside the 2 Series and 4 Series.

Source: BimmerToday

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