Splitting the difference

The BMW X3 M40i acts as a bridge between the regular X3's practical luxury and the X3 M's high-performance luxury, a recipe similar to the extremely likeable M340i sedan

- Dhruv Saxena

Driving the BMW M340i helped me appreciate the benefits of treading the fine line between practical luxury and high-performance luxury. To me, it's the perfect car this side of a crore perfectly blending practicality, luxury and performance. BMW has now introduced the X3 M40i which is based on the same concept but in the arguably more practical SUV body style.

Besides the M40i badging on the boot, the bigger 20-inch alloys and a blacked-out grille, there aren't any instantly apparent visual differences between the M40i and the M Sport variants of the X3. A closer inspection of its exterior reveals a few more differences including the M Shadow Line lights that offer a dark tint around the headlamps, aerodynamically friendly rearview mirrors and red brake calipers. Step inside and the all-black theme draping the cabin announces the X3 M40i's sportier nature. There's faux carbon fibre trim on the dashboard and the steering wheel and seat belts get M colour stitching to highlight the involvement of the M division in the development of this variant. Based on the range-topping M Sport trim of the regular X3, the M40i too gets a long list of comfort and convenience features including a panoramic sunroof, 3-zone climate control, Harman Kardon audio setup, wireless charging, wireless Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay support and plenty more.