Entry-level, petrol BMW X3 out to silence its pro-diesel critics

Pure Design enters as trim grade exclusive to the 20. Picture: Charl Bosch In South Africa, the market for premium compact SUV has traditionally been a diesel affair, with petrol often limited to entry-level, performance or hybrid variants. Excluding the Lexus and Volvo, the “must-have” German Big Three, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all field petrol versions of the Q5, X3 and GLC, with varying degrees of buyer uptake.

Over at Munich, the majority of X3s have the 20d badge at the base of their doors. The same applies to the Mercedes-Benz GLC, whose tailgate more commonly displays the 220d or 300d nomenclatures. Petrol options are, however, not absent from the former or the three-pointed star.

In the case of the GLC, the previous250 variant made way for the 200earlier this month. Introduced last year, thepetrol version of the locally-made X3displays the 20 lettering minus the “i” suffix as on the new 1 and 2 Series. An alternative to the 20d, the arrival of the X3 20 or the weeklong stay promised something different.

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Aside for its engine, the 20 goes without the xDrive all-wheel system as power now goes to the rear wheels only. Moreover, it recieves a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that adds eight kilowatts and 25 Nm for short spells.

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