Tuned to dishout265PSat4,000 rpmandmated to avery intuitiveeight-
speedautomatictransmission,thisis a gemofa combination.the diesel is free
from the usual clatter and, when driven hard, it has a likeable sporty note
without any signs of harshness. The ZF transmission offers seamless shifts,
shedding gears at lightning pace and never keeping you wanting. The cosmic
620 Nm of torque comes in right from 2,000 rpm and makes this 1,820-kg
SUV effortless and entertaining to drive. Which is further borne out by the
strong roll-on figures during our test.
Even in Comfortmode, the straight-sixis quick to reach 5,000 rpm and
switchingto Sport manualyou can hold the revs for a little longer and get a
morethrillingexperience.it almostfeelslikea petrolcar.at least,it does
performlikeone,sprintingfrom0 to 100 km/hinjust5.46seconds.it
keeps acceleratingrelentlesslybeyond200 km/h till you run out of empty
stretchesofroads.
theadaptivedamperssoakupmostoftheroadundulationsincomfort
mode and also keep a tight rein on body-roll but there are traces of understeer
if you carry too much speed. The firmer Sports set-up is better if you decide to
chase downhairpinbends. This iswhere thexDrive comesinto play,
transmittingwell-measuredpower to allfourwheelssoyoucanstep onthe
acceleratorfasterwhileexitinga corner.thegripfromthewideBridgestone
run-flattyres provokesyouto feedinmore power.
we’veseenBmw experiment with the feel and feedback of the steering
system as many modelsfrom themarquehave becomelighter to cater to the
changingneedsofcar-buyers.ButtheoneontheX4seemsheavyatlow
speedsandstartstofeellighterasonegoesfaster.theissueis thatmost
BMWs feelrazor-sharpandextremelycommunicativeand,incomparison,this
feelsa bitinconsistent.whatis stunning,though,is them-sport brake pack
which bites hard into the discs, bringing the 1.8-tonne SUV to standstill from
80 km/h in just 2.44 seconds with a stopping distance of 25.13 metres.
Letmeremind youthatthisistheX4xDrive30dMSportvariant we
tested andalltheseprefixesmeanthatitwillcarryaheftypricetag. AtRs
65.9lakh(ex-showroom,Delhi),it isoverrs 7.5 lakh more expensive than
the top-end X3 diesel variant and, probably, the only two reasons to
consider the X4 over its smaller sibling is its unique coupé-like styling and
that delightful 3.0-litre diesel.
(Above) There’s ample
storage and even a
space-saver spare wheel
(Left) Adjustable side
bolsters offer great
support
(Below) The M Sport
brake pack offer
stunning bitehttp://www.carindia.in May 2019 car india 71
BMW X4 xDrive30d Road Test