The biggest, brashest BMW is back, and if you thought the X5 couldn’t possibly get any bigger, it just did. Building on the basis set by its very popular predecessor, the latest generation X5 is almost 20 cm longer and has two extra seats.
The biggest, brashest BMW is back, and if you thought the X5 couldn’t possibly get any bigger, it just did. Building on the basis set by its very popular predecessor, the latest generation X5 is almost 20 cm longer and has two extra seats.
As with the original, this X5 is luxury SUV travel in the metal. Most of its development was centred around refining its on-road abilities, with the engine and gearbox positioned as low and as far back in the vehicle as possible to keep the centre of gravity down. This should aid handling and cornering ability.
The local line-up will include two six-cylinder powerplants – a 3,0d and 3,0i – and the flagship 265-kW 4,8-litre V8. A six-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox will be available as standard equipment.
BMW’s styling division appears to be calming down somewhat, with this models showing evolutionary cues, rather than a radical departure from the original. Bearing an X3-like snout and more rounded front and rear ends with sculpted flanks, it looks more like a dramatic facelift than a brand new model.
The SUV is noticeably larger than before. About 190 mm longer and 60 mm wider than the first generation, the extra space for the first time allows the X5 to carry up to seven passengers.
An optional third row of seats folds flat into the floor, with 200 dm3 of bootspace. Bootspace with five seats is 620 dm3, though this could stretch to 1 750 dm3 with all the rear seats folded down.
Equipment levels are high, as can be expected. The latest generation X5 will be offered with Active Steering, Adaptive Drive active suspension system, and runflat tyres as standard.
Other features include i-Drive, heads-up display, rear-view parking cameras, and DSC+ with brake pretensioning, brake drying, brake fade compensation and hill start assist.
Production from the Spartenburg plant in North Carolina will initially be biased towards the US market. New X5 will be launched internationally at the end of this year, and available in South Africa from mid-2007.