BMW’s X cars are a brand unto themselves, with the X5 in the
role of range flagship. Thus, the fact that the third generation X5 does not
radically depart from its predecessor in appearance is no bad thing for owners
of the present model.
A smidgen larger than the outgoing X5 (E70) model, the
evolutionary new 2014 X5 (F15) has an expanded role to fulfill. You realize how
far the new car has raised the game the moment you open the door and experience
its plusher and more upmarket cabin.
The enhanced interior takes the new X5 to the next level in
sophistication. Just the stitched leather covering on the dashboard top roll
and the pleated pattern on the hides of the seats alone make a world of
difference to the way you perceive the class and quality of the interior.
It looks and feels more expensive and exclusive straight
away, and that initial first impression pervades everything as you run your
eyes over the design, fit and finish of the heavily revised cabin.
If choice is a good thing, BMW has really pushed the boat
out with enough trim package options to either titillate or confuse a would-be
customer. A raft of seat designs, trim patterns and materials are there for the
asking. These fall under the titles of Design Pure Experience and Design Pure
Excellence plus M Sport Package, to be chosen according to whether your bent is
more towards luxury, sporting or a combination of the two.
Subtle detailing includes high-level accent lighting under
the dashboard and door trims in a choice four colors that can be changed at the
touch of a button. Call it a gimmick if you will, but this mood lighting does
actually add to the ambiance and sophistication of the cabin at night,
especially when one of the warmer hues is chosen.
This new roomier interior has the option of a third row of
seats to give it seven-seat capability. The boot area is now 650 liters,
expanding to a massive 1,870 liters with the 40/20/40 split rear seat folded
flat. Automatic tailgate operation is now standard, and can be opened and
closed by the remote control key, as well as from the driver’s seat.
The body-shell surrounding this enticing interior is also
new as are its mechanical underpinnings. While the previous X5 was a big step
forwards in creature comforts, both perceived and real, over the first generation
car from 1998, the new car moves the game ahead a perceptible amount in all
aspects of performance, handling, ride comfort, as well as sheer desirability.
Despite strong visual links to its predecessor, every panel
is new. The fresh ‘face’ of the 2014 X5 features larger ‘kidney’ grilles in a
more upright front that gives it even more gravitas. Along with the slightly
raised bonnet line, this improves pedestrian impact protection. The aluminum
bonnet has pyrotechnic devices to move it upwards and away from the hard engine
structure if it senses a pedestrian strike.
According to Chassis Dynamics engineer, Cornelius Zim, the
double wishbone front suspension is a fresh design with its spring pans sitting
a bit lower for better kinematics within a conventional coil spring and gas
active damper arrangement.
“Our main objective was to measurably improve ride comfort
and bring an even greater level of sophistication to the new car,” he
explained. “To do this we had to devise new suspension kinematics, and ended up
re-designing the whole front suspension and its axle carrier.”
“Every front suspension component is different, and we use
lightweight high strength steels for some components, with aluminium for
others, “ he said. “The sub-frame is made from lightweight, high-strength steel
as aluminium is not strong enough for a car of this weight.”
At the rear axle, the base X5 model has a mildly tweaked
version of the previous steel spring and gas damper design. The optional
Comfort and Professional suspension systems use self-leveling air suspension
with active anti-roll bars. Dynamic Performance Control with torque vectoring
to vary power between the rear wheels is part of these two packages.
Unlike some rivals that use air suspension all-round, the
steel front springs mean that the X5 does not have the ability to alter its
ride height. Thus, its 209mm ground clearance remains almost unchanged from the
outgoing model. Maximum water fording depth is 500mm at 7km/h.
Aerodynamic refinements are pretty subtle and include the
air curtain system that reduces air turbulence around the front wheels. The
exit vents behind the front wheel arches are fully functional as opposed to the
dummy vents favoured by aftermarket tuners in the past.
On the X5, form follows function, and these vents are also
used as the design cue for the sweeping design line that runs aft into the
front and rear doors. Thus, they look part and parcel of the design rather than
an isolated and comparatively static design element in the front wings as they
appear on the 3-Series GT.
According to Sven Ritter, specialist engineer for body and
trim, the new X5’s torsional rigidity is up by five percent, which helps
handling and ride. This is a worthwhile improvement when you consider the shell
has plenty of big holes in it like the split rear tailgate and the Panoramic
sunroof, standard in the US and an option in other markets.
The new body-in-white is 90kg lighter than before thanks to
the use of more aluminium and high strength, lightweight steel in strategic
places. The bonnet is now aluminium, as is some of the structural reinforcement
in the engine bay area, which takes weight out of the nose, to the benefit of
handling. The front and rear crash beams behind the PU-RIM bumper covers are
now also aluminium.
The lightest large structural component in the car is the
support structure behind the dashboard. This is made from magnesium and follows
the design ethos the BMW Group began with the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
While 90kg has been shaved off the body weight, all the
extra equipment required to address the legislative demands for current and
forthcoming safety and emissions standards mean that this saving has been eaten
up, and the new 2014 X5 tips the scales with similar weights as its predecessor
model-for-model. This means 2,070kg (DIN) for the xDrive30d and 2,175kg (DIN)
for the xDrive50i.
That said, the advances in powertrain efficiency enable the
new X5 to go faster and further on a gallon of fuel. While all models benefit
from lower emissions, C02 numbers will be at an all-time low with the new
entry-level 218hp X5 xDrive25d that appears in the European line-up next year.
This is the first time ever that an X5 variant is being
offered with a four-cylinder engine, and it is also the first time that a BMW
four-cylinder diesel exists with sufficient power and torque to deliver
credible performance in a car of this size.
The fact that a rear-wheel-drive only sDrive25d will also be
available with this engine means that there are less driveline losses too, and
emissions are a meagre 149g/km of C02 versus 155g/km for the xDrive25d version.
At the other end of the scale, the most exciting balance of
power and economy will come from the X5 xDrive M50d, whose triple turbo 2,993cc
six offers a stonking 381hp from 4,000 to 4,400rpm with 740Nm of torque between
2,000 and 3,000rpm. This rockets the car to 100km/h in 5.3 sec, and quite
rapidly on to its electronically governed 250km/h Vmax.
The drag coefficient of 0.31 that helps towards the miserly
average fuel consumption of just 6.7 L/100km with 177g/km emissions is
impressive, and all the new X5 models meet the forthcoming EU6 emission standards.
At launch however, only the 450hp xDrive50i, 258hp xDrive30d
and 381hp xDrive M50 M Performance versions will be available. The xDrive40d,
xDrive35i, xDrive25d and sDrive25d come on stream at the end of the year.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox that has now become the
default gearbox in many new BMW models is a large part of that equation. With
its torque multiplication abilities at low revs and its closely stacked and
seamless ratios, it is able to make full use of the available power and torque of
the motor.
The slick gearbox helps to extract the best performance from
the new twin-turbo, direct-injection V8 in the X5 xDrive50i. I drove this
version first from downtown Vancouver up into the mountains near Whistler,
where its near instant throttle response and huge raft of torque always felt
capable of neutralising the mass of this big car with a mere prod on the
throttle.
Equipped with the Professional suspension package, the 450hp
xDrive50i can waft along on its 650Nm of twist in Comfort mode on the freeway
one moment, and then morph into a pretty good impression of a big and heavy
performance sedan on the twisty mountain roads with Sport mode engaged.
Gun it away from rest and a near supercar 0-100km/h time of 5.0 sec pins you
back in your comfortable leather seat. The 250km/h top speed is electronically
limited.
As always, it is initially daunting to fling a tall vehicle
into bends like this, but with the active anti-roll bars strutting their stuff,
the roll angle is well contained and body control is impressive.
You build up your confidence to the point where you feel you
are actually defying the laws of physics, and end up covering ground at an
indecently rapid rate with little drama. The power steering is one of the
better electric systems BMW has produced of late.
The other model BMW provided for us to try was the 2014 BMW
X5 xDrive30d, whose motor has been mildly tweaked to improve efficiency and
emissions. Whether in town or on the open road, this motor is characterised by
its strong torque and good throttle response.
Where the petrol V8 gives off a deep, distant rumble when it
is working hard, the 20kg lighter straight-six oil burner has a just audible
diesel clatter when accelerating from low revs, that morphs into the familiar
straight-six soundtrack as it picks up revs. The 0-100km/h time of this heavy
oil burner is a respectable 6.9 sec, with a 230km/h Vmax.
At cruise on a light throttle, the diesel engine is all but
inaudible and its strong power and torque delivery coupled to good economy and
emissions perfectly suit the long legged character of this vehicle. BMW claim a
combined consumption of 6.2 L/100km with emissions of 162g/km.
The base X5 models such as the entry-level diesels have
18-inch wheels and you have a choice of normal or Runflat tyres. The X5
xDrive30d and 50i have 19-inch wheels with Runflat tyres as standard, and there
is a 20-inch option too, also with Runflats.
Source: gtspirit.com
