Tuesday 9th February 2010

BMW X5 Freshens Up For Spring

More grunt for Munich's 'Chelsea Tractor'

---

The BMW X5 is getting a spring facelift, with an emphasis on increased power and efficiency. All iterations of the X5 are getting more grunt, and there's a new top-of-the-(non-'M')-range xDrive50i knocking out 408hp.

The xDrive50i is a replacement for the xDrive48i, and packs an extra 53hp. Torque is also up from 350 to 442 lb ft and 0-62mph is down by a full second to just 5.5 seconds. The extra thrust comes courtesy of a revised twin-turbo V8, apparently the first of its kind to have a catalytic converter located in the vee of the cylinders.

The rest of the X5 range gets moderate power boosts, with the entry-level xDrive30d getting an extra 10hp making 245hp in total, while the xDrive35d gets dumped in favour of a new xDrive40d which is 20hp more powerful at 306hp. All of the revised powerplants meet harsh EU5 emissions standards and see small improvements in MPG to boot.

Across the range the X5 gets a new standard eight-speed automatic gearbox, which apparently increases smoothness and decreases emissions. There's also a mild aesthetic retouch, most significantly with a revised front bumper containing enlarged vents, sending more air to the engine and brakes. There are tweaks to all of the light clusters, and a redesigned rear bumper containing two fatter exhaust pipes.

Unsurprisingly along with power, price has increased across the range too. The base model X5 is up from £41,715 to £43,980, and the xDrive50i M Sport costs £2475 more than the xDrive48i M Sport (sheesh, these names...) it replaces at £58,175. A basic X5 is now nearly seven grand more than an equivalent (but more powerful) Porsche Cayenne, but remains cheaper and more powerful than the Range Rover Sport across most of the line-up.

The facelift does not seem to have affected the X5M just yet.

[P4ROT]

BMW have really screwed up with this new badging- even for petrolheads its hard to understand!

[E21_Ross]

P4ROT said:

BMW have really screwed up with this new badging- even for petrolheads its hard to understand!

sdrive50i would mean 2 wheel (rw) drive, xdrive50i means 4wd. it's not that hard, but it is silly.

awesome about the engine improvements! pity about the car (really don't like the X5, or anything like that e.g. Q7, ML merc, cayenne etc)

[soad]

Looks quite good, i do like it.

[Ed]

Look OK but not sure about the knock-off Focus ST / Gallardo wheels...lacking a bit of imagination

Edited by Ed on Tuesday 9th February 13:37

[philmots]

Strong engines as always from BMW.. Will no doubt sell in big numbers. I like them.

[pilchardthecat]

Why can't i have a 335i Touring with xDrive i the UK?

Honestly BMW you've filled every niche possible, except the one i want....

[toppstuff]

Lovely cars, but the new one I tried the other day ( a M Sport pack ) had the most terrible ride quality. Anyone ordering the sport suspension and big wheels is a fool, the ride is that bad. Always jiggling about, the ride quality was so bad that passengers commented and you can see everyone jiggling around as you try to negotiate the average A road.

[Rob ST]

Ed said:

Look OK but not sure about the knock-off Focus ST / Gallardo wheels...lacking a bit of imagination

Edited by Ed on Tuesday 9th February 13:37

+1 on that, Ugly Ugly car. Much prefer a Range Rover Sport!
New 2010 model is soo nice inside and out!

[vintageracer01]

I do not understand the point why cars need to look like they eat the neighbour's children.

IMO, BMW has lost that cars are about beauty and elegance, not about senseless aggressivity!

Unfortunately, most buyers of these kind of cars have a similar mindset. - Scary!!!!

Poor sods from Munich.

[B3njamin]

vintageracer01 said:

I do not understand the point why cars need to look like they eat the neighbour's children.

IMO, BMW has lost that cars are about beauty and elegance, not about senseless aggressivity!

Unfortunately, most buyers of these kind of cars have a similar mindset. - Scary!!!!

Poor sods from Munich.

It's about road presence and how people see your standing based upon your car, allegedly.

"My car is big and powerful like a steroid-loaded road-lion; hear it roar!"

Ergo, the driver must be equally as ferocious as his car implies, or not as the case may be.

[Johnpidge]

Posh truck!

[Bobdenero]

Not sure why, but the rear end of the X5, Merc and Range Rover Sport look far better than the front (The Q7 and Cayenne are just plain ugly front or rear)

[robsti]

E21_Ross said:

P4ROT said:

BMW have really screwed up with this new badging- even for petrolheads its hard to understand!

sdrive50i would mean 2 wheel (rw) drive, xdrive50i means 4wd. it's not that hard, but it is silly.

awesome about the engine improvements! pity about the car (really don't like the X5, or anything like that e.g. Q7, ML merc, cayenne etc)

Dont think you can get an X5 with 2wheel drive!

[thirsty]

I love a proper SUV. I also really like BMWs, but these cars IMHO are worthless.

[Belfast Boy]

ummmm, yeah!

[SimonSaid]

thirsty said:

I love a proper SUV. I also really like BMWs, but these cars IMHO are worthless.

Not sure about 'worthless', but residuals will certainly be a nightmare!

[E21_Ross]

robsti said:

E21_Ross said:

P4ROT said:

BMW have really screwed up with this new badging- even for petrolheads its hard to understand!

sdrive50i would mean 2 wheel (rw) drive, xdrive50i means 4wd. it's not that hard, but it is silly.

awesome about the engine improvements! pity about the car (really don't like the X5, or anything like that e.g. Q7, ML merc, cayenne etc)

Dont think you can get an X5 with 2wheel drive!

hence there is no X5 with sdrive in it's name. sdrive is on the z4 for instance.

sorry i didn't clear that up

[SimonSaid]

E21_Ross said:

P4ROT said:

BMW have really screwed up with this new badging- even for petrolheads its hard to understand!

sdrive50i would mean 2 wheel (rw) drive, xdrive50i means 4wd. it's not that hard, but it is silly.

awesome about the engine improvements! pity about the car (really don't like the X5, or anything like that e.g. Q7, ML merc, cayenne etc)

I think its daft because the X5 only comes in 4wd anyway - why not call it the X548, X550 etc, in the same way you get a 520 and 535 et al. Its not ideal I grant you, but its better than this mess.

Nomenclature matters

[MattGTA]

Balls. That's not going to help the value of mine, which arrives next week.

[ncbbmw]

Ed said:

Look OK but not sure about the knock-off Focus ST / Gallardo wheels...lacking a bit of imagination

Edited by Ed on Tuesday 9th February 13:37

Those wheels have been available on the current X5 since it came out in 2007 so I don't think BMW stole the design from either.