The BMW iX3 50 xDrive sparks much joy in the hearts of driving enthusiasts because it enjoys being driven hard
The heart of every BMW is the drive and the drive is every driving enthusiast’s joy — hence “Heart of Joy”, as the iX3 50 xDrive’s drivetrain and driving dynamics management technology is dubbed.
Working in tandem with the “BMW Dynamic Performance Control” module, the “Heart of Joy” superbrain is responsible for the drive system, brakes, charging, energy recuperation, and steering subfunctions, and operates 10 times faster than conventional systems.
This digital nervous system has been created from scratch by the BMW Group. The “Heart of Joy” element is one of four superbrains that cover driving dynamics, automated driving, infotainment, and basic and comfort-enhancing functions.
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Too many modern cars have turned going fast into a clinical and desensitised affair, nonchalant almost, but this also erodes the respect that should be accorded to high-performance cars and the drivers who tame them.
Driving is a skill that shouldn’t be dumbed down, not least because more and more high-tech cars are engineered to do everything for the driver, which only exacerbates inattention among many motorists.
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There is a thrill to bending a car to one’s will, especially on a circuit or down your favourite series of corners. However, this means the car needs to deliver a constant stream of communication to the driver, especially when it is pulling lateral gs, so you can adjust your steering, throttle or ministrations to maintain maximum attack.
However, “Heart of Joy” doesn’t just work on go-faster driving, but also “go-slower” through its regenerative braking. The brand has come to the conclusion that in everyday driving — and short of emergency brake situations or sporty driving conditions — 98% of braking manoeuvres are carried out using recuperation only (as opposed to friction brakes that come with hitting the brake pedal).
With its “Soft Stop” feature, the iX3 can be brought to a jolt-free stop, without the “is it isn’t it” second-guessing that BEV one-pedal drivers tend to grapple with when coming to a stop junction or traffic light.
With many of the latest Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), going fast is now the simple matter of putting one’s foot down. A whole array of electronic aids is deployed to keep the driver on the road, but also in many cases, detached from the sensation of speed, and somehow this has become laudable.
Although the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive boasts a host of electronic active and passive safety intervention systems, BMW hasn’t forsaken its roots as purveyor of ultimate driving machines.
As one of the four superbrains, “Heart of Joy” has been engineered to analyse the iX3 50 xDrive’s dynamic state at lightning-quick processing speeds to deliver undiluted driving feedback to the driver through its ministrations of the motors, regenerative braking, steering and stability systems.
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This enables one to act and react precisely and naturally to changes in grip levels to derive maximum satisfaction from the motoring experience.
For a product of the electric generation, the iX3 50 xDrive never falls into the same trap as most average BEVs, which have a tendency of dominating the motoring proceedings or insulating the driver from fast-road fun.
Instead, the Heart of Joy delivers precise and direct responses to aid, abet and amplify dynamic engagement between committed driver and car, especially with regards to the BEV-specific electric drive system parameters that impact the motoring experience.
