If nothing else, the X4 confirms BMW’s determination to venture into every imaginable product niche. The X4 is a sportier and better-looking—if less practical—variation of the X3. Or looking at it another way, the new X4 is to the X3 what the X6 is to the X5, and it is a bit surprising that BMW will offer cars so similar in price and concept. The new model will make its first public appearance at the Beijing auto show next month.
The styling of the X4 attests to the cost pressures encountered in turning the concept into reality—except for the fascia, its front end is virtually identical to the X3’s. The X4’s side profile, however, is distinct. The sloping roofline ends in a little tail, and the flanks are graced by no less than three character lines, one more than on the X3. The X4’s driver and passengers sit significantly lower than those in the X3, by 0.8 inch up front and 1.1 in the rear. That’s a noticeable difference, although we doubt that its rear passengers will experience “the feeling of a classic sports coupe,” as BMW promises. While the vehicle’s wheelbase is identical with the X3’s, the roofline is lower by 1.5 inches, and the vehicle is 0.6 inch longer.
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