TWO exclusive editions of BMW's upcoming iX3 have been announced for the UK market - Premier Edition and Premier Edition Pro.

First UK customer deliveries are not scheduled until summer of next year, when the BMW iX3 Premier Edition will cost from £61,900 and come with enhanced levels of standard equipment, four exterior body paint options and two exterior trim choices.

Spend more - from £64,900 - and the iX3 Premier Edition Pro adds additional standard features like head-up display, Harman Kardon surround sound, gesture control, parking assistant plus, automatic high beam assistant and comfort access and lumbar support.

The BMW X3 will be the brand's first model offered with a pure-electric drive system, a plug-in hybrid system or petrol and diesel engines.

The integrated drive system technology at the heart of the new iX3 plays a particularly important role in optimising efficiency and power development, says BMW.

The power density of the electric motor in the iX3 is 30 per cent greater than that of existing fully-electric vehicles within the BMW Group portfolio.

The motor is up to 93 per cent efficient, compared with under 40 per cent for combustion engines.

The new drive system unit generates maximum output of 282bhp and peak torque of 295 lb-ft which, unlike many other electric motors, is sustained at high revs.

The new BMW iX3 sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds, putting it in the same territory as the conventionally powered BMW X3 xDrive30i. Top speed is electronically limited to 112 mph.

BMW says the high efficiency of the drive systems allow the new BMW iX3 to offer a range of up to 279on the WLTP test cycle.