We are driving through a foot and a half of water in the new BMW X5 when the
instructor guiding me round the off-road circuit lets the cat out of the
bag. “Not bad for a veehickle that wasn’t designed for off-road use, huh?”
We are in South Carolina, at the Spartanburg plant where the X5, on sale
here in April, is being built and, despite the off-road workout and the
car’s four-wheel drive, this is very much a car for the tarmac.
True, the X5 will wade through 20 inches of water, but apart from pulling the
odd horsebox out of a gymkhana field or reversing a speedboat and trailer
down a slip, this is not a car intended to battle with the likes of Land
Rover.
To judge the X5 on its off-road abilities is to miss the point. This is a car
designed for the road and all-wheel-drive cars, whatever environmentalist
campaigners might say, are far from dead.
The fact is that drivers love 4 x4s. The dimensions of such cars make them
feel secure and roads that are slick with mud, leaves, frost, snow, ice or
torrential rain feel safer in a 4 x 4.
The X5’s all-wheel-drive system, coupled with BMW’s XDrive — which detects if
a wheel is spinning or has lost grip and then reroutes engine power to the
wheel or wheels that have grip — received a full workout during the test
drive in the United States.
A tornado tearing through Alabama meant a 24-hour torrential downpour in South
Carolina of somewhat biblical proportions. For the best part of a day I
drove through what seemed like a 200-mile-long car wash over switchback
Appalachian mountain roads and the car did not put a foot wrong.
In such conditions, all-wheel drive is hugely reassuring — no wheel spin, no
slip, no loss of grip, despite lying water that sent huge sheets of spray
everywhere. The car even stops predictably, thanks to brake drying, which
automatically gives the brakes occasional, unnoticed dabs to get rid of
water on the discs. In these conditions it is understandable that, while
pressure grows to drive smaller cars, BMW, bowing to customer demand, has
made the new X5 bigger than the outgoing model.
It is its first car to offer a third row of seats, so it can seat seven
people, although BMW expects fewer than a third of customers to order that
option. Lack of legroom means that the seats are for children only.
Chris Willows, a BMW spokesman, said: “Our dealers tell us that there is a
roaring demand. It is absolutely not the case that the SUV is dead. Last
year it is true that our X5 sales were down — but that is because customers
knew the new model was on its way.”
In fact, 2005 was a record year for “old” X5 sales, when UK buyers took
delivery of 10,800, and BMW is confident that it will be selling upwards of
8,000 new models a year. All this even though the new car is bigger and
longer, and more expensive. The 4.8litre petrol engine that averages less
than 23mpg costs £49,980, but BMW says that more than 90 per cent of the
cars sold will be the more economical three-litre diesel, cheaper at £40,120.
While the 4.8 petrol has a top speed of 150mph and a 0-62mph time of 6.5sec,
with 355bhp and 475Nm of torque, the three-litre diesel is marginally slower
at 134mph, 0-62 in 8.3sec and 235bhp. But it does have more torque — 520Nm.
The new X5 comes as an automatic only, which can be driven as a fully
automatic or, having pushed the lever across and selected sports mode, by
nudging the shift forward or back to change down or up. The shift is slick,
but very light — touch the stick when reaching for the radio and you will
change gear. BMW deemed a manual redundant because up to 98 per cent of
previous X5 customers ordered the auto.
The car comes with run-flat tyres as standard, for added peace of mind, and
while it is not cheap, Adaptive Drive as a £2,300 option is worth the money.
This keeps the car flat, electronically controlling the dampers so that even
on fast corners it does not lean.
How good is it? Let’s just say that should you face an Appalachian monsoon,
and staying at home or using a boat are not options, the X5 is the way to
go.
Specification
Car BMW X5 3.0 diesel SE
Engine 3.0litre direct injection diesel with 235bhp and 520Nm of
torque, driving all four wheels through automatic transmission
Performance Top speed 134mph and 0-62mph in 8.3sec
Fuel economy 32.5mpg combined
CO2 emissions 231g/km
Price £40,120
i had the old x5 for 5 years , loved it every , built like a rock , got my new on 24th april , will be one of the first cars in the uk. one of the best cars
we buy and sell all over the world its a globel economy, love it
andy dhallu, london, uk
I've only got to see it once, but this car is a magnificent follow-up for the previous model. Good looking on the outside, luxurious on the inside. As stated in the article, the 3d row ow seats isn't very interesting though, and the overall inside design hasn't changed that much.
For all of those enviromentalists, if you haven't got anything to say about the car itself, please stfu. Go protest against coal powered energy plants instead! If you can't pay a car like this, don't comment on it!
Jonathan, Menen, Belgium
Generalizing statements about all SUVs are inaccurate and misleading. There are some obvious offenders, both in respect of emissions and pedestrian safety, but my Honda CRV emits 177g/km - less than a Mini Cooper and averages 42mpg. It has 3* pedestrian safety rating -exceeding most family saloons. The new model is likely to be even better. They are extremely well built in Swindon (short, efficient delivery process) and are likely to last much longer than most mass -produced rubbish that end up prematurely in a scrap yard at great enviromental cost. As for the X5, while much more efficient than a Range Rover Sport, I personally couldn't justify one on any of the above or, indeed, cost. It makes no sense to build a 2.4 ton vehicle in the USA and then transport it to Europe, having probably manufactured its engine and transmition in Germany first and transported them to the USA.
Captain Richard Aston, hereford, uk
this is so sad and exactly highlights the problems within the UK. why do people within the UK feel the need to buy these cars? this is exactly the reason why you should buy cars built in the UK! securing Britiish jobs! ........and don't forget that these cars cost 50% less in the US!
please people get real and wake up....contribute to your own economy!!
aysan al-haq, birmingham, england
Looks great to me, I particularly like the big petrol version, lots of power, great for hard acceleration.
The thing is, one can do the Green bit also, by rolling down a few hills!
George, Hempstead, UK
'Feels safer' is approtiate wording, its seems this type of car is an illusion to safety for its passengers and the likes of pedestrians. Its also a disappointment that such a respected car company is yet again ignoring the emission probelm that so many people are trying to tackle.
Thomas, South East,
Sad to see a driving article without any mention of emissions? Also no mention of the fact that SUV's in an accident are three times more likely to kill a pedestrian than an ordinary passenger car. Despite this why have they decided to make the X5 even bigger??
SUV's are also twice as likely to cause severe traumatic brain and abdominal injuries and 50% more likely to kill the passenger of another vehicle.
John Willis, London, UK
Can someone refresh my memory on the current carbon emission goals, please. The BMW X5 seems to be a tad over the mark.
Douglas, Basel, Switzerland