Careful when driving to Luxembourg: 81 new BMW X3 police SUVs are hitting the roads
30/03/2026
If you’re planning a road trip to Luxembourg anytime soon, you may want to keep a slightly closer eye on your speedometer.
The Police Grand-Ducale is about to significantly modernise its vehicle fleet with the arrival of 81 brand-new BMW X3 models. And interestingly, they are all petrol-powered.
A major fleet renewal for Luxembourg’s police
The new SUVs will be delivered by Bilia Luxembourg, which secured several public tenders for supplying vehicles to the Luxembourg police between 2025 and 2026. In total, 81 BMW X3 units have been ordered.
Fifty-six of them will serve as fully equipped patrol vehicles across the country. These cars will feature the official police livery and come fitted with the necessary operational equipment.
The remaining 25 vehicles will be unmarked, joining the internal fleet used for various investigative or operational missions. A handful of these new BMWs are already on the road, with the rest expected to enter service gradually over the coming months.
Petrol power still matters for police work
In a time when electric mobility dominates headlines, the choice of engine is notable. All 81 SUVs are BMW X3 20 petrol models, powered by a 2.0-litre engine producing around 208 horsepower.
That decision reflects a pragmatic reality for many law-enforcement fleets. Police vehicles must remain operational 24 hours a day, often under demanding conditions. Long shifts, high-speed motorway patrols and constant readiness mean that refuelling speed and operational reliability still outweigh electrification in many cases. For a relatively small country like Luxembourg, the BMW X3 also offers the right balance between performance, practicality and cost efficiency.
Not the first SUV in Luxembourg’s police fleet
Luxembourg’s police fleet has been evolving steadily in recent years. According to official figures, the Police Grand-Ducale currently operates around 966 vehicles.
In 2024, the force already introduced 48 Skoda Kodiaq models into its fleet. Other vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and BMW are also widely used. The addition of more than eighty BMW X3s marks another step in the ongoing modernisation of Luxembourg’s law enforcement fleet.
AutoNext Take
Police fleets need durability, immediate availability and operational flexibility, factors that still favour traditional combustion engines in many scenarios. What’s also interesting is the continued dominance of premium German SUVs in European law-enforcement fleets.
So if you happen to be driving through Luxembourg soon, remember one thing: Not every BMW X3 you see in your rear-view mirror will necessarily have police lights.
