Approximately four years: that is how long BMW will keep the current X4 in production, as the second generation will be officially unveiled in the coming months.

BMW of North America’s CEO, Bernhard Kuhnt, made the announcement during a speech held at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, saying that “this year, we will launch a new BMW X4”.

Kuhnt didn’t say much else about the X6’s smaller sibling, but we already caught a glimpse of it last year without any camo, seeing its new design that’s highlighted by new front and rear fascias, and a slightly sportier roofline.

Underpinned by the CLAR architecture that’s shared with the latest X3, the new X4 will be lighter than its predecessor and will be powered by a host of petrol and diesel engines, in addition to a fully-fledged M version.

In other related news, BMW will start assembling the X7 at Spartanburg later this year. The flagship SUV will take on rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the Range Rover, and will be powered by several six- and eight-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, while a PHEV is, reportedly, also on the cards.

Note: 2019 BMW X4 M prototype shown in the gallery

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