Spy photos are usually captured by photographers and unofficially released.

However, the 2018 BMW X3 has received official spy shots that show the car being tested in Sweden.

The compact SUV is aesthetically designed but it won’t be showcased at the 2017 Geneva motor show. Instead, BMW seems to have planned to launch it later in another expo that takes place later this year. The company didn’t confirm which expo it will be and they may even make it official during a random month to capture the attention of their audience. The new X3 is being tested in the snow clad regions stress testing the powertrains to make sure they deliver the best performance even under such harsh conditions.

Surprisingly, the spy photos are of high definition and should give you a clear overview of how the SUV would like to. The major share of the car is camouflaged that keeps the overall design a mystery. However, it is possible to confirm that the front end with trapezoidal headlights and kidney grille pretty much derives strong inspiration from the F30 3 Series.

The sides of the car derive its design elements from the F25 model with the popular L-shaped taillights that are retained. This particular model spotted in the photos is equipped with the M Sport package that includes an aggressive rear bumper, deep side sills and large front air intakes. It also includes special M package disc brakes with blue calipers and twin exhaust exits.

Under the hood, the 2018 BMW X3 is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight six engine which is capable of producing about 360 horsepower combined with 465 Nm of Torque. The powertrain is mated to an eight speed ZF automatic transmission gearbox. The numbers are derived from the X4 M40i where the same engine is already being used in real world conditions. It is also speculated that the X3 will be made available with choice of powertrains including a 2.0-liter turbo four engine that produces about 252 horsepower.

The next generation model is mounted on top of BMW’s latest CLAR platform which is already used to build the G30 5 Series and the G11 7 Series. The new platform is expected to shave off significant weight from the compact SUV contributing to its increased fuel efficiency, aerodynamics and overall performance. Aside from the conventional petrol and diesel engine variants, the 2018 BMW X3 may get launched with an electric motor that solely runs using battery power.