2016 BMW X5

The BMW X5 has enough on—and off—road power to handle any drive. Optional Dynamic Performance Control smoothly distributes the power of the rear axle, improving agility and accuracy. Available Active Roll Stabilization complements by minimizing body roll, and makes for handling you'll want to push to the limits wherever you go.
HANDLE ANY EXPEDITION.
The X5 has enough luxurious space for everybody. Rear Comfort seats with enhanced foam padding offer 3' of forward/backward movement, putting passengers in the perfect position to utilize a DVD drive and two optional 9.2' LCD screens. An optional third row seat offers extended capacity, and includes its own climate control.





PÚSH LÚXÚRY TO NEW HEIGHTS.
The X5's interior is luxurious enough to best anything. Optional 20-way multi-contour seats in available Exclusive Ivory white Nappa leather conform to your body with nearly limitless positioning, and a wealth of trim options such as Fineline Oak surround you in beautifully grained wood.

EYES LIKE A HAWK.
Part of ConnectedDrive, Surround View gives you a clear line of sight at all times. Side and top view cameras give you a bird's-eye perspective of the area behind and on either side of your vehicle via the 10.2-inch Control Display, and Parking Assistant makes maneuvering in tight spaces a breeze.

BLAZE TIGHTER TRAILS.
xDrive, BMW's intelligent all-wheel drive system, enhances your X5's handling, and maintains traction on even the roughest surfaces. It distributes power between the front and rear axle, continuously adjusting your ratio to best suit changing road conditions. When combined with standard 19' all-season run-flat tires, you get even more weather-dominating traction.

GO FARTHER AND FASTER.
BMW's all-new eDrive integrates the best of performance with efficiency. Úsing technology inherited from the BMW i8, eDrive combines the sustainability and instant torque of an electric engine with the power of a traditional engine. The BMW X5 xDrive40e generates 308 combined horsepower and gives you 13 miles of emission-free driving.



THE HEART OF EVERY X5
35i: BMW's inline 6-cylinder 3.0 liter engine features BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, combining High Precision direct fuel injection, Double-VANOS and Valvetronic variable intake technologies, and a twin-scroll turbocharger. The result: turbo lag is virtually eliminated. Peak torque of 300 lb-ft kicks in at 1200 rpm, pushing you back in your seat all the way to 5000 rpm, and a maximum output of 300 hp is reached at 5800 rpm.
Available in: X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i

50i: This 'reverse-flow' 4.4-liter, TwinPower Turbo V-8 has been updated with Valvetronic, BMW's throttle-less intake system. It works in concert with High Precision Direct Injection and two twin-scroll turbochargers, nestled on top of the engine, to deliver 445 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque.
Available in: X5 xDrive50i

eDrive: BMW's award-winning 2.0 liter four cylinder engine works with a lithium-ion powered motor to deliver maximum efficiency and performance. When accompanied by the 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, this engine produces 308 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, enough to thrust it from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds.
Available in: X5 xDrive40e

Diesel: The extraordinary 35d 3.0-liter, inline 6-cylinder engine uses both BMW Advanced Diesel technology and BMW TwinPower Turbo technology to substantially reduce fuel consumption and even improve performance. It develops a maximum output of 255 hp and a peak torque of 413 lb-ft.
Available in: X5 xDrive35d

AN INTELLIGENT CHASSIS

ADVANCED BMW ENGINEERING AT WORK

Dynamic Performance Control: Smoothly distributes power between the rear wheels for optimal agility and sporty handling. For instance, when cornering, the outside wheel receives more torque, allowing you to drive 'into' curves.

Active Roll Stabilization: On the road, a vehicle's body tends to roll in corners, which can affect handling. Performance-elevating Active Roll Stabilization, incorporates two-piece anti-roll bars to generate stronger resistance to body roll, keeping the vehicle more level and providing maximum stability and agility.

Dynamic Damper Control: This available system adjusts the damping characteristics to suit driving conditions and road quality. The damping changes contribute to a more stable-feeling ride, while a self-leveling air suspension adjusts the height of your rear axle to optimize driving dynamics.

Source - BMW

A mid-size crossover SUV unveiled in 1999, the BMW X5 was BMW's first SUV also known as 'Four-by-Four' in the UK. All BMW X5's are manufactured in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The X5 comes with all-wheel drive and is available with either manual or automatic transmission along with a range of gasoline inline-6s, V8s and diesel engines are available. Rather than being a SUV, BMW describes the X5 as a Sport Activity Vehicle (SAV) to shift emphasis on its on-road capability despite its size. The BMW X5 brought about the shift from truck-based body-on-frame SUVs to sedan-based crossovers that would have occurred in the late 2000s. The X5 was powered by the V8 4.4i with a manually shiftable five-speed automatic transmission.

In the late 1990s, Chris Bangle came up with the first sketches at the BMW DesignworksUSA studio in California, and in many ways, the current X5 still closely resembles these initial sketches. Rover's takeover ended up being helpful for BMW in the area of development of the X5. The engineers at BMW were able to review and use Range Rover technology and parts in their design of the X5, including hill-descent control. The design of the X5 was heavily influenced by its British counterpart, included the two-piece tailgate taken directly from the Range Rover. Numerous parts and electronics were also taken directly from the E39 5 Series parts bit to save on costs.

The X5 was designed as a sporting road car, in contrast to the Range Rover models, unfortunately the X5's off-road capabilities were significantly less than those of Land Rover. BMW made it well known that the X5 was referred to as an SAV rather than a SUV. Though the X5 was an all-wheel drive vehicle, BMW chose from the start to route 62% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels, working hard to make it feel as similar as possible to the company's rear-wheel drive sedans.

The first generation of the BMW X5 crossover vehicle was introduced in 1999 and was produced until 2003 and had a wheelbase of 110.0 inches, an overall length of 183.7 inches and a width of 73.7 inches. The X5 was produced until September of 2006 and was replaced by the BMW E70. At the time that the E53 was developed, BMW still owned Land Rover and because it this is shares many of the components and designs with both Land Rover and also the BMW E39 5-series.

For 2001 no changes were made on the BMW X5. For 2002 the high-performance 4.6is model was introduced with a 340-horsepower V8 engine. Against Mercedes-Benz ML 50/ML55 AMG, the X5 was quite a big contender. Along with this were aero body add-ons, and the new model received 20-inch wheels along with a special sportier interior. For this year option packages received some content revisions.

The Premium group now came with rain-sensing wipers, a sunroof for both the 3.0i and 4.4i and automatic climate control for the 3.0i. The 4.4i edition could also be equipped with a new Rear Climate package that included privacy glass and rear window shades. Optional were rear torso side-impact airbags.

For 2004 the X5 didn't change much and a revised model was debuted in 2004. The all new X5 was revamped completely, and a new 6-speed manual transmission option, and a 315 hp V8 compared to the previous year's 290 hp in 2004. The 04 X5 also received new headlights, a few new exterior colors, upgraded engines and a new four-wheel drive system. The grilles were enlarged along with their actually slats being modified in a ‘flame surfaced' style. The X5's headlights received ‘angel-eyes' which were rings or halos around all front headlamps.

The 2004 taillights also received a similar facelift to the BMW E39 and the exterior glass was transformed from a ‘dotted' pattern to a cleaner ‘line' pattern. Called xDrive, BMW invented a new four-wheel drive system that was shared both in the X5 and X3 in 2005. Rather than using the earlier X5 system which had consisted or power being split 62-38 (rear wheels – front wheels) and DSC to brake wheels losing traction, the xDrive could vary power to the front or rear axles in milliseconds which transferred up to 100% of engine power to either axle, therefore allowing the vehicles to regain traction quickly.

Additional extras were added to the 2004 X5 were soft-boot close feature which allowed the top part of the trunk to pull itself closed, Trailer Stability program which made it an ideal tow vehicles and adaptive headlights. At the end of 2003 it was originally announced along with the rest of the X5 facelift, the X5 4.8is first started shipping in April 2004. Replacing the 4.6 L engine was a new larger 4.8 L engine that was also later used in the 2005 750i/Li. It also included a slightly modified bodykit, 20' wheels and along with the 4.6is were the only X5's ever to feature large chrome-tipped exhaust which hid the quad pipes.

For the 2006 BMW X5 no significant changes were made. The X5 wasn't fitted with the new BMW R6 engine which upped power for both the 2.5i and 3.0i I6 versions of the 2006 X3 and Z4 significantly. Some rumors implied that BMW held back deploying the engine in the 2006 X5 so they didn't waste development costs in retooling the assembly line so they could make way for a more dramatic unveiling of the new 2007 BMW X5. This year was also the end of the E53 X5 as well.

The second generation of the BMW X5, the E70 was introduced in 2008 and had a wheelbase of 115.5 inches, a length of 191.3 inches, a wheelbase of 115.5 inches and a width of 76.1 inches. The E70 is the current X5 SAV which replaced the BMW E53 in November of 2006. The E70 platform replaced the BMW E53 as the X5's underpinnings. A ton of new technological advancements were introduced on the E70-based X5 SAV including BMW's iDrive system as standard equipment, and the first for a BMW, an optional third row seat.

This current generation incorporates safety innovations for the crossover segment like a unique rear framing section that protected 3rd row occupants from injury due to an impact. From late 2008 until the new BMW branding scheme, the X5 3.0sd is now called the X5 XDrive 35D and the 4.8 i is called the X5 XDrive 48I.

During the spring of 2000, a lower-priced six-cylinder 3.0i edition was introduced with a standard five-speed manual transmission and optional four-speed automatic. Both of these models were produced in South Carolina on an exclusive uni-bodied platform. BMW X5's came with a standard permanently engaged four-wheel drive, traction control, all-disc antilock braking, an antiskid system and a tailgate with separate lift glass.
Not intended for severe off road use the X5's four-wheel drive system lacked low-range gearing. Instead, the XM automatically brakes individual wheels to limit slippage in low-grip conditions. The speed was limited to 6 mph down steep slopes down a standard hill descent control.

The standard equipment included power tilt/telescopic steering wheels, 70/30 split folding rear seats and front side-impact airbags which were head-protecting tubular airbags that deployed from above front door windows in a side impact.

Optional on the X5 were rear lower-body side airbags. A load-leveling suspension was included on the 4.4i and optional for the 3.0i, along with 18 inch wheels and tires, wood interior trim and leather upholstery. A Sport Package was available and included black exterior trim, a sport suspension and the 4.4i received 19-inch tires. Available with either model was an optional navigation system with dashboard-mounted video screen. The biggest competitor for the X5 was the Lexus RX 300, the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and the Acura MDX.

BMW produced a one-off version of the X5 that was dubbed the X5 LM and equipped it with the M70 S70B56 V12 engine from the Le Mans winning BMW V12 LRM. In 2000 it was driven by Hans Joachim Stuck to receive a lap record at the Nürburgring.

By Jessica Donaldson