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PEOPLE ARE SAYING that big, petrol-guzzling Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are going out of style. But no one seems to have told this to BMW, who has just launched its second-generation X5, now upsized to seat seven.
Credit where it's due, though: the Germans have done a remarkable job managing the model's growth. Thanks to the extensive use of aluminium and lightweight steel, the new X5 4.8i is just 50kg heavier than the outgoing 4.4i model, despite being nearly 19cm longer and 7cm wider. And get this: it's faster and more economical.
All this means the car represents a big step forward from its predecessor. It needs to be too, because the luxury SUV game has changed dramatically since the first X5 burst onto the scene way back in 1999.
Volvo, for instance, managed to fit seven real seats into the XC90, while the Land Rover Discovery 3 proved that on-road handling and comfort needn't be sacrificed for off-road ability.
So what exactly has BMW tweaked? Not the basic styling formula, for sure - at first glance you'd swear the new X5 was a facelift of the old car, rather than a completely new model. It hides its extra length really well, and few would guess that there are now three rows of seats inside.
Credit where it's due, though: the Germans have done a remarkable job managing the model's growth. Thanks to the extensive use of aluminium and lightweight steel, the new X5 4.8i is just 50kg heavier than the outgoing 4.4i model, despite being nearly 19cm longer and 7cm wider. And get this: it's faster and more economical.
All this means the car represents a big step forward from its predecessor. It needs to be too, because the luxury SUV game has changed dramatically since the first X5 burst onto the scene way back in 1999.
Volvo, for instance, managed to fit seven real seats into the XC90, while the Land Rover Discovery 3 proved that on-road handling and comfort needn't be sacrificed for off-road ability.
So what exactly has BMW tweaked? Not the basic styling formula, for sure - at first glance you'd swear the new X5 was a facelift of the old car, rather than a completely new model. It hides its extra length really well, and few would guess that there are now three rows of seats inside.
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The bulk of the design changes centre around the nose, which now looks much less fussy than before. A smoother bumper, more rounded bonnet and better integrated double-kidney grille leave no doubt that it's a new X5 in your rear-view mirror, as do the corona rings around the headlamp lenses that now serve as daytime running lights.
It may not look that much bigger in isolation, but pull up next to an X3 and you can tell straight away which is the big brother in BMW's range. This wasn't the case with the old X5.
What you can't see - without getting on your hands and knees, that is - is the new double wishbone front suspension. The X5 is the first BMW to use such a system, which offers more precise wheel control and smoother movement compared to conventional MacPherson struts.
Singaporean buyers will have a choice of two familiar petrol engines when the car goes on sale next year. The V8 from the 750iL powers the range-topping X5 4.8i, although its output falls slightly from 367 to 355bhp here due to the different intake and exhaust system.
The bulk of local sales will however be accounted for by the 3.0si model, which BMW didn't bring to the international launch in Greece. Its preternaturally smooth, lightweight aluminium-magnesium six-cylinder engine produces 272bhp, enough for a 225km/h top speed and a 0-100km/h time of 8.1 seconds.
It may not look that much bigger in isolation, but pull up next to an X3 and you can tell straight away which is the big brother in BMW's range. This wasn't the case with the old X5.
What you can't see - without getting on your hands and knees, that is - is the new double wishbone front suspension. The X5 is the first BMW to use such a system, which offers more precise wheel control and smoother movement compared to conventional MacPherson struts.
Singaporean buyers will have a choice of two familiar petrol engines when the car goes on sale next year. The V8 from the 750iL powers the range-topping X5 4.8i, although its output falls slightly from 367 to 355bhp here due to the different intake and exhaust system.
The bulk of local sales will however be accounted for by the 3.0si model, which BMW didn't bring to the international launch in Greece. Its preternaturally smooth, lightweight aluminium-magnesium six-cylinder engine produces 272bhp, enough for a 225km/h top speed and a 0-100km/h time of 8.1 seconds.
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DRIVING IT
First impressions behind the wheel are great. BMW's variable-ratio Active Steering system, already used on some 3, 5 and 6 Series models, has been fine-tuned for use in the X5 and the change in response between the two extremes is now much less dramatic. Once above crawling speeds it's easy to forget that there's any electronic trickery at all, which is the way it should be.
The 4.8-litre V8 is as silky and free-revving as you'd expect, but even with more than 400Nm of torque available from just 1,600rpm, the car doesn't surge off the line quite as forcefully as its 6.5 second 0-100km/h time suggests it might.
Once past the initial inertia though, things start happening quickly enough to make you grateful there's a head-up speedometer display (height-adjustable for the first time) so you can keep your eyes on the road. Mid-range acceleration is particularly strong, so there's no need to plan overtaking manoeuvres in advance.
Ride comfort and refinement at a cruise are also deeply impressive, especially considering that the test cars were all shod with massive 19-inch wheels. The X5 never feels anywhere near as big and heavy as it really is, and the superb damping keeps body movements well in check, even over large undulations.
It's not all perfect, though: running over sharp bumps at low speeds can send loud thumps through the body as the suspension tries, not always successfully, to absorb the shock that's passed through the run-flat tyres' stiff sidewalls.
First impressions behind the wheel are great. BMW's variable-ratio Active Steering system, already used on some 3, 5 and 6 Series models, has been fine-tuned for use in the X5 and the change in response between the two extremes is now much less dramatic. Once above crawling speeds it's easy to forget that there's any electronic trickery at all, which is the way it should be.
The 4.8-litre V8 is as silky and free-revving as you'd expect, but even with more than 400Nm of torque available from just 1,600rpm, the car doesn't surge off the line quite as forcefully as its 6.5 second 0-100km/h time suggests it might.
Once past the initial inertia though, things start happening quickly enough to make you grateful there's a head-up speedometer display (height-adjustable for the first time) so you can keep your eyes on the road. Mid-range acceleration is particularly strong, so there's no need to plan overtaking manoeuvres in advance.
Ride comfort and refinement at a cruise are also deeply impressive, especially considering that the test cars were all shod with massive 19-inch wheels. The X5 never feels anywhere near as big and heavy as it really is, and the superb damping keeps body movements well in check, even over large undulations.
It's not all perfect, though: running over sharp bumps at low speeds can send loud thumps through the body as the suspension tries, not always successfully, to absorb the shock that's passed through the run-flat tyres' stiff sidewalls.
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This happens whether or not the optional AdaptiveDrive system, which electronically manages the damper and anti-roll bar settings, is fitted. AdaptiveDrive's benefits do however become clear the moment you go through a corner for the first time - with the system fitted, there's noticeably less body roll and the car feels altogether more stable.
The X5 is so agile, the steering so precise and the six-speed automatic so responsive that the controls almost become extensions of your limbs. It's easy to drive this car hard and fast, knowing the drivetrain and chassis won't serve up any surprises. Sure, an equivalent 5 Series sedan would still be faster over any given stretch of road but the X5 won't be far behind.
The X5 is so agile, the steering so precise and the six-speed automatic so responsive that the controls almost become extensions of your limbs. It's easy to drive this car hard and fast, knowing the drivetrain and chassis won't serve up any surprises. Sure, an equivalent 5 Series sedan would still be faster over any given stretch of road but the X5 won't be far behind.
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INSIDE IT
If you really need to justify the cost of buying an X5 over a 5 Series, just take a look inside one. The cabin is beautifully rendered, remaining true to BMW's current minimalist interior design philosophy while adding an extra layer of class.
The new electronic 'shift by wire' gear lever looks a bit odd at first but it works really well, perfectly replicating the functions of a normal set-up with the added advantage of taking up much less space.
BMW's been working hard to improve the controversial iDrive control system, too. There's now a row of sensor-touch programmable buttons that can be used to store anything from a radio station to a GPS navigation destination.
If you really need to justify the cost of buying an X5 over a 5 Series, just take a look inside one. The cabin is beautifully rendered, remaining true to BMW's current minimalist interior design philosophy while adding an extra layer of class.
The new electronic 'shift by wire' gear lever looks a bit odd at first but it works really well, perfectly replicating the functions of a normal set-up with the added advantage of taking up much less space.
BMW's been working hard to improve the controversial iDrive control system, too. There's now a row of sensor-touch programmable buttons that can be used to store anything from a radio station to a GPS navigation destination.
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Overall, there's an impression of deep-seated quality, backed up by a few surprise-and-delight features that add to the pride of ownership. Take the glovebox, for example: BMW's moved the front passenger airbag higher up so the area below it now has two flaps that spring open, revealing a deep, easy-to-access storage compartment.
Passengers in the first two rows have plenty of space to stretch out in but don't expect anyone over 1.6m tall to be comfortable in the rearmost seats. At least access to them is reasonable thanks to the large back doors. The boot is a reasonable size with all seven seats in place, growing to positively cavernous in five-seater mode.
Passengers in the first two rows have plenty of space to stretch out in but don't expect anyone over 1.6m tall to be comfortable in the rearmost seats. At least access to them is reasonable thanks to the large back doors. The boot is a reasonable size with all seven seats in place, growing to positively cavernous in five-seater mode.
DOLLARS AND SENSE
It's hard to guess exactly how much the American-made X5 will cost here since right-hand drive production hasn't even started. What's clear for now is local cars will all be seven-seaters.You'd be wise to set aside at least $300,000 in your bank account if you're eyeing a 4.8i; maybe more if you want it fully gadgetised with things like the head-up display and AdaptiveDrive.
CONCLUSION
It would be easy to dismiss this car as a pointless exercise in marketing. After all, do we really need another large SUV that will never be driven on anything more treacherous than wet tarmac?
But try looking at it objectively: the X5 is every bit as involving to drive as you'd expect a BMW to be. It also has a fantastic cabin, the high driving position with the great all-round visibility that so many people love, plus enough space and practicality for it to serve as the only car in a household.
Only now, if all that's still not enough to seal the deal, do you add the rugged looks to the equation. But I suspect it won't be necessary.
NEED TO KNOW
Model BMW X5Engine 4,799cc, 32V V8
Max Power 355bhp at 6,300rpm
Max Torque 475Nm at 3,400-3,800rpm
Gearbox 6-speed automatic
Top Speed 242km/h
0-100 km/h 6.5 seconds
Price To be announced
Warranty To be announced
Contact Performance Motors 6319 0100
AT A GLANCE
-Blink and you'll miss them styling changes belie totally new mechanicals
-Futuristic-looking gear lever works great, and takes up less room
-Last row of seats are for occasional use only. Boot is simply enormous
SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN
Audi Q7 4.2 (A) $299,000 with COE
Not the most elegantly styled car in this segment but a real class act on the road, boasting surprisingly sharp handling and excellent refinement. It's not quite as quick as the BMW, but has similarly cramped third row seating.
Porsche Cayenne S (A) $319,888 with COE
The first SUV to challenge the original X5 for driving dynamics. It feels wonderfully poised at all speeds and the 340bhp V8 sounds the business. Now starting to look its age inside and out though, and there's no seven-seat option.
-Futuristic-looking gear lever works great, and takes up less room
-Last row of seats are for occasional use only. Boot is simply enormous
SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN
Audi Q7 4.2 (A) $299,000 with COEPorsche Cayenne S (A) $319,888 with COE
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