In place of the previous, normally aspirated 4.8-liter V-8, there is a new, 4.4-liter unit that sports direct injection and two turbochargers. Although more powerful than the outgoing 4.8-liter, the new turbo V-8 should return about the same fuel economy: 14/19 mpg.
Both gasoline engines use a new transmission, BMW’s eight-speed automatic, seen previously in the twelve-cylinder 7-series and the 5-series Gran Turismo.
Competing against the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Porsche Cayenne, and Land Rover Range Rover, the BMW X5 comes in six trim packages with four available engines, priced from about $46,000 to over $85,000.
There's room for five with comfort, seven if rear seat passengers are small, and fit, finish, and materials are all what you'd expect from BMW and the luxury SUV class.
Active safety features like the advanced stability and traction control systems, plus the innate ability of the chassis and setup, make it easier to avoid accidents before they happen.
From a high of 19/26 mpg to a low of 14/20 mpg (and 12/17 mpg for the X5M) the BMW X5 range is relatively economical--even green, for a large SUV, in xDrive35i trim.
At the front, the BMW gains a new fascia with repositioned fog lamps and larger side air intakes. The front skid plate is painted matte silver. And more of the fascia/front bumper pieces are painted in matching body colour as opposed to flat black.
The reshaped rear bumper surrounds two new trapezoidal-shaped tailpipes.
Two aspects of the BMW X5 that somehow manage to surprise and delight me every time I drive this SUV are the steering wheel and the seats. The cabin features a number of storage compartments—door pockets, armrest, glove box, centre console—as well as a 60/40-split rear seat that folds flat to create more storage capacity. While the European market gets any number of versions, most of the world will have to make do with just four BMW X5s: a 6-cylinder diesel, a 6-cylinder petrol engine, an 8-cylinder petrol engine and the mighty X5 M, with a twin-turbo petrol engine pounding out 555 horsepower.
While the BMW X5 M and the xDrive35d remain unchanged for the new model year, there are significant differences to both the other “common” models: the xDrive50i (formerly xDrive48i) and the xDrive35i (replacing the xDrive30i).
Whereas the BMW X5 xDrive48i featured a 4.8-litre petrol V8, the XDrive50i boasts a 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8, which debuted in the X6 in 2008. As for the new X5 xDrive35i, it features a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder petrol engine; this powerplant, shared with many others in the BMW range, offers significant advantages over the old one.
While the SUV segment isn’t my personal favourite, the 2011 BMW xDrive35i has enough “ultimate driving machine” about it to create it a fairly compelling proposition. The new engine and transmission offer a great balance between outright speed, all-around versatility and (anticipated) improved fuel efficiency. The BMW X5 rides well, handles sharply and offers some great comfort features.
