It’s no secret (anymore) that BMW’s compact crossover SUV is getting a little meaner, with the Bavarian car maker’s Motorsport division handling its transition to something sportier.

The upcoming X3, codenamed G01 and expected to debut in 2017 as a 2018MY, will follow the same recipe as its bigger siblings and finally get an M version at some point.

With a typical M front-end with large air intakes, and a muscular look that culminates with M’s signature quad tailpipes, the X3 M will come with an appropriately tuned chassis with sports suspension, quicker steering, large brakes, and a powerful inline-six engine believed to deliver anywhere from 400 to 500hp, with the M3/M4 twin-turbo 3.0-liter being the likeliest candidate.

The upcoming SUV was spotted again at the Nurburgring, this time sporting a different front bumper and slightly redesigned elements. Although the camouflage does a terrific job at hiding most details, it can’t hide the engine note that, to us, sounds a tad different from that of a S55 M-engine.

What variant of the X3 is BMW testing is anybody’s guess. One thing is for certain, the Bavarian car maker wants to make sure the X3 will be on top of its game and ahead of the competition in every guise.

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