When the BMW X3 premiered in late 2003, BMW announced that it would employ a new 4 wheel drive system to power it and the X5, a system marketed as xDrive that would intervene transparently to the driver before the driver was aware of instability.

04-05 2.5 184hp@6000rpm 175tq@3500rpm 5spd auto and 6spd man 15/22

04-06 3.0 225hp@5900rpm 214tq@3500rpm 5spd auto 14/21, 6spd man 15/23

07-09 3.0si 260hp@6600rpm 225tq@2750rpm 6spd auto 17/24, 6spd man 16/23