BMW Unveils the New X3 Crossover in Paris

It was hardly that long ago that a company like BMW didn't come anywhere near the crossover-utility vehicle market. But these days the Bavarian automaker has a growing variety, including the middle-of-the-road X3. Smaller than the X5 but larger than the X1, the second-generation X3 has just been unveiled at BMW's pavilion at the Paris Auto Salon.

The styling is rather similar to the original model it replaces, but the 2011 X3 packs all of BMW's latest technologies, from the twin-scroll turbocharger and eight-speed automatic transmission to the variable steering and adaptive chassis dynamics. And for the first time, models destined for the North American market will be built to order right here in the United States at the company's Spartanburg, South Carolina, assembly plant.