Article Summary
- The entry-level 2027 BMW iX3 40 will eschew the front motor for a rear-wheel-drive setup with less power.
- BMW will also downgrade the battery to a smaller pack for a lower range.
- These changes will enable a significant weight loss over the iX3 50 xDrive launch model.
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive has already been hit with a price increase even before deliveries begin this month in Europe. It now costs from €70,900 in Germany, representing a €2,000 premium over the launch price. However, it won’t be long before the sticker once again drops below the €70,000 mark. That won’t happen without compromises, though. The iX3 40 is inching closer, minus the front motor. Additionally, the upcoming entry-level variant will make do with a smaller battery.
The iX3 40 is reportedly set to offer 315 horsepower and 500 Newton-meters (369 pound-feet) of torque from its rear-mounted motor. These unconfirmed details come via the usual BMW insider on the Bimmer Post forums. He’s more often right than wrong, but as always, nothing is official until BMW says so. How do those output figures compare with the iX3 50 xDrive?
The launch version delivers a combined 463 hp and 645 Nm (476 lb-ft). While the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) time remains unknown for the lesser variant, the rear-wheel-drive model is expected to complete the sprint in more than five seconds. By comparison, the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version does it in 4.9 seconds. Top speed for the iX3 40 will be electronically limited to 124 mph (200 km/h). For reference, the current iX3 can reach a slightly higher 130 mph (210 km/h).
You won’t find the same battery under the upcoming base iX3. BMW is reportedly ditching the 108.7-kWh pack in favor of a smaller 82.6-kWh unit. With less usable energy, a range penalty is inevitable, so don’t expect the same 500 miles (805 kilometers) on the WLTP cycle. Likewise, the U.S.-spec version should cover less than the estimated 400 miles (644 kilometers) of the iX3 50 xDrive.
Predictably, there is a major upside: weight. The iX3 40 is said to shed as much as 200 kilograms (441 pounds). As a result, the lightest configuration will tip the scales at 2,085 kg (4,597 lbs) without a driver. Although the BMW insider mentions only the rear-wheel-drive model, an iX3 40 xDrive is likely in the pipeline as well. It should retain the smaller battery but weigh slightly more after adding an asynchronous motor (ASM) to the front axle.
The rear-wheel-drive iX3 40 is reportedly scheduled to enter production in July for the European market and in November for the U.S., when the 40 xDrive will also begin rolling off the assembly line in Debrecen. These won’t be the only new iX3 variants arriving this year, as the hot M60 is also expected in 2026 as an M Performance model. Toward the end of next year, the X3 M will crown the lineup.
The iX3 40 might not be the true entry-level version after all. China is rumored to receive an iX3 30 based on the locally produced long-wheelbase iX3 (NA6). The larger electric crossover will debut next month at the Beijing Auto Show, ahead of iX3 50L xDrive production starting in May. The iX3 30L, however, is expected to arrive a few months later, possibly in September.
