BMW X3

If BMW is as inventive with the appearance of its new X3 as it has been with this disguise, the next generation SUV might be the most wacky soft-roader ever seen!

Sadly, that won’t be the case, as the forthcoming X3 – seen here testing for the first time – will retain much of the current car’s style and proportions.

Due in 2010, the new 4x4 will evolve into a better all rounder, rather than changing wholesale, in a bid to fight off newer competition like Audi’s Q5 and the Mercedes GLK. To that end, BMW engineers have been tasked by top brass to prioritise interior quality and driving dynamics – two areas with definite room for improvement in the current car.

Exterior changes will include sleeker front lights and a bolder grille, though revisions will be more apparent on the inside. A dashboard inspired by the bigger X5 and X6 SUVs, crafted using tangibly sturdier plastics, will widen the X3’s showroom appeal, as will a more extensive engine lineup – set to include the 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six from the 335i and the equally impressive 2.0-litre diesel from the 320d. A hybrid is also in the pipeline, which will follow in the footsteps of the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid.