BMW shows off new X4 concept

Michael Taylor

When an X6 is too big and an X3 just isnt' stylish enough, BMW will soon have the X4.

BMW is about to unveil its next step in putting more of the "Sport" and less of the "Utility" into its Sport Utility Vehicles.

After leading the way into softer, premium SUVs with its X5, then following that up with the X3, X1 and the large, swoopy and polarizing X6, BMW is about to shake up the status quo again with its Concept X4.

The concept car, which will be shown at the Shanghai Motor Show in late April, is more like a production car about 12 months away from its genuine launch. Almost every panel on it will be unchanged as it heads into production in the second quarter of 2014, even though BMW insiders say there will be slight changes to its aggressive nose.

The concept owes much of its philosophy to the 2008 X6, borrowing a similar glasshouse and a similar shallow rear window line as it sits atop stock X3 underpinnings.

These days, a quarter of all BMWs sold worldwide are X-models, so BMW is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to plug every possible hole in its SUV range.

To be built in both left- and right-hand drive versions in Spartanburg, in North Carolina, the Concept X4 will share its production line with the X3, the X5 and the X6.

At 4648mm long, the Concept X4 is shorter than both the X5 and the X6 and has a 1915mm width. That shouldn't surprise anybody because that's exactly the same length as the X3. At 1622mm high, it's lower than the X3 by a handful of millimetres and its long bonnet and relatively short overhangs boost its aggressive stance.

It carries over the X3's 2810mm wheelbase in its concept form and BMW insiders say that will carry over into production, even if the 21-inch alloy rims will shrink to something more production-friendly.

The only other serious component change for it will be the shrinking of its rear door glass from the frameless glasshouse into something less breakable in day-to-day life. The 3-Series GranCoupe has run in to similar issues, which BMW got around by having its window glass drop automatically whenever the door is opened, but the Concept X4's rear glass is even larger.

The production car will, however, keep the Concept X4’s flattened kidney grilles, drawn largely from the current 3-Series, with its four clear headlight designs.

Beneath the grille and lights is a large, central air intake complete with Concept X4 printed in to the plastic - just like Audi is doing with its Quattro production models these days - and two large intakes flanking it to feed air into the brakes, the air curtain and the engine.

These intakes are wider than the central version and combine with the car's track width to promise a low centre of gravity and sharp handling - though whether that's delivered remains to be seen.

Lower still on the Concept X4's nose is its underbody protection, which rolls under the engine bay from the splitter.

The Concept X4's side profile draws in elements of the X6 and even the Z4 sports convertible with its sharp creases, chunky wedge design and muscular rump.

The sweeping roofline makes the car appear longer than its 4.65 metres while the large wheel arch flares add a squat feel to its rear end.

The Concept X4 is an empty design shell, with neither and engine nor an interior, but the production versions will run the full engine portfolio of the X3 family, according to BMW sources.

BMW is trying hard not to talk about the Concept X4's powertrain, but the brand's thumping 225kW in-line turbo, 3.0-litre six will be one of its earliest additions and BMW will initially fit the production X4 with its most powerful engines to push its sports appeal.

While it will also develop to house a plug-in hybrid system as well, it is almost certain to include an M version, much like the X6M but with turbo-charged, in-line six-cylinder power rather than a twin-turbo V8.