RUMOR: Combustion-Powered BMW X4 Living On Borrowed Time

Sep. 17, 2022 2:42 PM ET byJarryd Neves Rumor /Comments

The grapevine suggests the next-generation has already been canceled.

In 2008, BMW created an entirely new segment with the X6 - the coupe SUV.People laughed and called it ugly, but, my goodness, did it pay off well for the automaker. This success prompted the introduction of the smallerBMW X4. However, it seems that the fastback crossover may not be around for much longer if certain rumors are to be believed.

According to various media outlets, internal sources have suggested the X4 won't receive a successor. This has come to light thanks to reliable BMW insider ynguldyn, who shared similar news on theBimmerpostforum: "G46 X4 may have been canceled - not confirmed." Although the automaker hasn't made an official statement on the matter, the mysterious user has been accurate on many occasions.

So why the sudden urge to cancel such a popular model? Well, the aforementioned sources have indicated that the projected sales volume for an ICE-powered X4 wouldn't yield the desired profits. Instead, BMW is expected to replace it with an all-electric model based onthe Neue Klasse platform.

Originally, the X4 was expected to go in the same direction as the next-generation X3 and offer two separate models, catering to different buyers and different markets. Conventional gas- and diesel-powered models would utilize an updated version of the CLAR platform, while an all-electric variant would arrive with the Neue Klasse architecture. The next 3 Series generationis expected to adopt this method, too, but no such plan seems to exist for the X4.

Rumors suggest it will arrive solely as an EV, underpinned by the Neue Klasse platform. While there's plenty of demand to justify both ICE and electric variants of the X3, the X4 remains a niche product. Electing to replace it with an electric-only model would make sense, especially as key markets lean towards banning ICE vehicles.

The electric variant, which will presumably adopt the iX4 nomenclature, is expected to enter production in 2026 at the company's Debrecen plant in Hungary. That's still some time away, so if you've been hankering after an X4, there's still plenty of time. The biggest loss would come in the death of the high-performanceX4 M. It may not be the prettiest vehicle in its class, but it's an absolute hoot to drive quickly - for an SUV, at least.

The death of any ICE car (even a curiously styled SUV) comes as sad news. But it's not all doom and gloom; the next generation of electric BMWs sounds hugely promising. Just recently, the automaker revealedan all-new battery designthat will make owning an EV more pleasurable than before.

Designed exclusively for use in Neue Klasse vehicles (such as the rumored iX4), the lithium-ion cells will increase range by 30% (on the WLTP cycle, at least) and improve charging speeds by the same amount. More importantly, the production of these new batteries will cut costs by 50%. Hopefully, this saving will be passed on to the consumer in due course.