BMW X3 M50 xDrive Gains 437 Horsepower and New Black Package

• The 2027 BMW X3 M50 xDrive gains 44 horsepower for a total of 437 hp, a change that applies to every M50 regardless of which options a buyer picks.
• A new Black Package adds 22-inch Jet Black wheels, gloss-black trim and extensive Alcantara to the cabin for $3,800, arriving in December 2026.
• Every 2027 BMW X3 model gets interior updates at the same time, including new ambient lighting and a revised instrument panel.

More Power for Every X3 M50, Black Package or Not

BMW is giving its X3 M50 xDrive a mid-cycle shot of power without changing the price of admission. Starting with cars built from December 2026, the M50’s 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six, backed by 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, gains 44 horsepower, taking total output to 437 hp. The jump cuts the 0-60mph time to 4.3 seconds, or 4.0 seconds using the rollout method some manufacturers use to match launch-control timing. BMW says an updated exhaust gives the engine a deeper note to go with the extra output.

The key detail for current and prospective owners: this power increase has nothing to do with the new styling package launching alongside it. Every 2027 X3 M50 xDrive gets the extra 44 hp, whether or not the buyer spends a cent on options.

What the $3,800 Black Package Actually Buys

Buyers who want to look the part can add the Black Package for $3,800 on top of the M50’s $67,500 base MSRP plus $1,350 destination and handling. The package centers on a set of 22-inch Jet Black forged wheels, one inch larger than the standard M alloys, paired with M Sport brake calipers finished in high-gloss black with a monochrome M logo. Badges and grille elements swap to high-gloss black with silver outlines rather than the usual chrome.

Inside, black Alcantara spreads across the top of the instrument panel, the area around the central display, the door trim and the center console armrest, with an M logo embossed into the headrests. The seats themselves switch to black Alcantara and Veganza upholstery with blue stitching, matched to aluminum-carbon interior trim, unique seatbelts and a leather steering wheel with its own airbag module. Little of this changes how the car drives. It is a styling package for buyers who already like the X3 M50 and want their one to look different from the one parked next to it at the dealership.

Interior Updates Reach the Whole X3 Lineup

BMW is not limiting the December changes to the M50. Every 2027 X3, from the entry-level sDrive30 through the M50, gets a softer PVC surface on the panel in front of the central display, a new stitching pattern on the instrument panel, and ambient lighting added to the center console storage bin and the interior door handles. A redesigned glovebox opener and stainless-steel edge protection for the cargo sill round out the changes, and cars fitted with the Black Package add their own dark-silver door-sill finishers.

None of these changes touch the X3’s pricing structure below the M50. BMW has not announced adjustments to the sDrive30 or xDrive30 trims alongside this update, so buyers shopping those versions should expect the interior refinements without a change in sticker price.

How the Updated M50 Compares

At 437 hp, the X3 M50 xDrive now sits closer to performance-SUV rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, which makes 416 hp from its turbocharged four-cylinder, and the Porsche Macan S, rated at 375 hp in its combustion form. BMW’s inline-six gives up some efficiency next to those four-cylinder rivals, but the extra power narrows a gap that buyers cross-shopping this class pay close attention to.

BMW has not said whether the power increase will carry over to a mid-cycle refresh of the related X4 M50, which shares the same engine in a coupe-SUV body. Buyers who want the extra output today should look for X3 M50 xDrive models built from December 2026 onward, and ask their dealer to confirm the production date on any car ordered before then.

Ordering an Updated X3 M50

BMW dealers can take orders for the updated X3 M50 xDrive now, with the first cars carrying the extra power and the refreshed interior reaching showrooms in December 2026. The Black Package will be listed as a standalone option on the order form rather than folded into an existing equipment group, so buyers who want the wheels and trim without anything else can add just that line item.

Shoppers cross-shopping a used X3 M50 built before December 2026 should factor in the power difference when comparing prices. A pre-update car with 393 hp is mechanically the same vehicle otherwise, and that gap could show up in used values once enough updated cars reach the secondhand market. For now, anyone ordering new gets the extra output at no additional cost, which makes the Black Package the only real spending decision left on the table.

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