BMW X5 History
By
LATEST ARTICLE
2013 Nissan Altima Sedan: $21,500, Available For Pre-Order Now
The new 2013 Nissan Altima made its debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show, but it won't arrive at... Read More
2013 Nissan Altima Sedan: $21,500, Available For Pre-Order Now
The new 2013 Nissan Altima made its debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show, but it won't arrive at... Read More
- #3LEADERBOARD RANK
- 5424ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
- 204COMMENTS POSTED
262 views
The BMW X5 was BMW’s first SUV, and it’s still the biggest of the bunch, offering seating for five, all-wheel drive and a range of straight-six and V-8 engines. Built in the U.S. at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, the BMW X5 has been on sale in the U.S. since 1999. Its primary competition is the Mercedes M-Class, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Lexus GX, and Cadillac Escalade, all of which are near the X5’s $47,000-$85,500 base price range.
On the market for just over ten years now, the BMW X5 was initially created to meet America’s desire for a luxury SUV. At the time, BMW also owned Land Rover, and the first-generation X5 shares much of its design with that legendary brand’s off-roaders, as well as the BMW 5-Series sedan. The original X5 also sported a range of engines, including a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder and a number of 4.4-4.8-liter V-8 engines paired with five- or six-speed automatic transmissions. The second-generation X5 is built on an all-new platform, with a new range of engines and two new models: the X5 M and the X5 diesel, plus a new six-speed transmission that’s used in all models.
Model names for the BMW X5-Series can quickly get confusing, especially since BMW changed the nomenclature in 2008. Originally, the X5 used standard BMW model names that referenced trim and engine size, like the 4.6is, which featured a 4.6-liter V-8 engine and a sportier appearance. The original engines ranged in power from 225 horsepower to 350 horsepower, depending on the trim and year.
Today, the models follow a different format: the X5 xDrive 30i, for example, denotes the standard all-wheel drive (xDrive) and a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. In addition to that model, BMW offers a 3.0-liter turbodiesel as the X5 xDrive 35d, a 4.8-liter V-8 engine as the X5 xDrive 48i, and the new 555-horsepower, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 engine X5 M. All X5s feature the same basic five-seat interior layout, with leather upholstery, BMW’s iDrive infotainment system, advanced stability and traction electronics, plus a wide range of optional upgrades. The X5 M offers extreme performance with a big price tag to match--base price is $85,500--but it delivers near-sports car performance with near-supercar power. The X5 xDrive 35d is one of the few diesel luxury SUVs on the market today, and scores with 265 horsepower and 26 mpg highway.
For 2012, BMW hasn’t made any major changes to the X5 range, aside from minor appearance tweaks.
