Saar: The mid-size premium SUV is slated to go on sale from April 19, 2018.

Here’s the news that everyone has been waiting for! Well, not everyone but anyone who would want to put their money and confidence in BMW. The German automaker has officially commenced the bookings for the X3 SUV in India at a minimum amount of Rs 2 lakh (refundable). The SUV itself will go on sale throughout in India on April 19, 2018. We are expecting it to start roughly around the Rs 50 lakh mark.

It was during the 2018 Auto Expo that people in India could see the new X3 in flesh. However, the X3 broke cover in June last year and has already been to various auto show across the world. In India, we expect it to be offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The diesel engine is likely to flaunt the xDrive20d label, whereas the petrol-powered versions will, in all probability, have the xDrive30i badge at the back. An 8-speed automatic transmission is expected to do duty for both the engine and we all know, don’t we, what xDrive stands for in BMW’s lingo – it is, of course, all-wheel drive.

As far as specifications of those engines are concerned, both will displace 2.0-litres of fuel and while the diesel motor will pump out 190PS of power and 400Nm of torque, the petrol will have 252PS and 400Nm at its disposal. If you think those specifications are quite familiar-sounding, you are right and you really need more friends to hang out with. Just a thought! Anyway, the diesel is the same engine that does duty in the 3 Series, 5 Series and the X1, whereas the same petrol motor is also found in the 3 and 5 Series sedans.

We won’t rule the launch of the M40i variant of the X3, albeit at a later stage. That, with its 3.0-litre turbo-petrol motor, has 360PS/500Nm on tap. It will be quite a match to the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe. But that’s when and if BMW decides to get it here in India. In its standard variant list, the BMW X3 will lock horns with the Volvo XC60, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5 and the Land Rover Discovery Sport.