The coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have created the perfect storm in the automotive industry, wreaking havoc on the supply chain. Delays in deliveries are still very much an issue in 2023, with some customers having to wait longer than others depending on the make and model as well as the equipment.
With the BMW Group being one of the largest automotive conglomerates in the business, it hasn’t been immune to parts shortages. Case in point, YouTuber Automann-TV had to wait 19 months to take delivery of an X3 M Competition from a dealer in Saarlouis, Germany. Having ordered the car in June 2021, the decision to purchase the high-performance SUV was made in the same month when the Life Cycle Impulse was officially revealed. It could’ve been worse as we’re heard people being asked by dealers to patiently wait over two years for certain specifications of the car.
Finished in a striking Sao Paulo Yellow shade, the X3 M LCI has carbon fiber side mirror caps, which the owner said prolonged the delivery time. Contrasting the eye-catching paint are the dark wheels with blue brake calipers as well as the black kidney grille. The cabin is far less polarizing than the exterior as the owner went with Merino black leather and a carbon fiber trim.
The gasoline-fueled X3 M (codenamed F97) could be a one-time affair if we were to rely on a report that emerged at the end of 2022. It is believed BMW intends to discontinue the ICE-powered version for the next-generation crossover and indirectly replace it with a fully electric iX3 M. The latter will supposedly be based on the Neue Klasse platform whereas the versions equipped with combustion engines will sit on an updated CLAR architecture.
Nothing is official at this point so take these details with the proverbial pinch of salt. The current-gen X3 will allegedly bow out in 2024, with its replacement (G45) to go on sale by the end of the same year. A gas-powered M Performance derivative is likely planned, potentially with the “M50i” suffix instead of the “M40i” currently used.
Source: Automann-TV / YouTube
