New 2007 BMW X5 (E70)

x5teaser_1_small.jpg

This is BMW‘s new X5, the second in it’s generation since it’s release back in 1999. Like it’s predecessor, BMW calls the new E70 a Sports Activity Vehicle or SAV rather than an SUV, as BMW says it’s dynamics are a step above it’s rivals’ utilitarian construction. So what’s new with BMW’s flagship 4WD? More details after the jump.

[UPDATE: Test Drive Report of 2007 BMW X5 4.8i and 3.0d in Athens.]

[UPDATE: The new second generation E70 BMW X5 has been launched in Malaysia. Click here for prices and other details.]

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One of the key points of improvement in this new BMW X5 over the previous version is third-row seating. The previous BMW X5 only seated 5, which made it unattractive for people with large families. This third row is optional, and with the third row seats installed the new BMW X5 seats 7, 2 in front, 3 in the middle and 2 at the back. To accomodate this extra seating, the X5 has grown longer by 19mm and wider by 6mm. With all seats in place, the X5 still has a comfortable boot space of 200 litres, but when you remove them this storage grows to 620 litres. This is up 155 litres compared to the first generation BMW X5.

Power and torque has also gone up across the model range. The BMW X5 3.0 receives 41hp power boost, bringing it up to 272hp from the previous 231hp figure. Torque goes up from 300Nm to 315Nm. The X5 3.0 goes from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds, and has a top speed of 225km/h The turbodiesel BMW X5 3.0d now makes 231hp and 520Nm torque, successing the previous model that only has 204hp and 480Nm torque. The top of the range BMW X5 4.8i has it’s power upped to 355hp and 475Nm of twisting action, up from 320hp and 440Nm. Top speed is 250km/h. Note that all three top speed figures are with the Dynamic Package offered by BMW, without it top speed for all three X5s are limited to 210km/h.

BMW X5 first and second generation comparison chart

  Old 3.0 New 3.0 Old 3.0d New 3.0d Old 4.8i New 4.8i
Power (hp) 231 272 204 231 355 355
Torque (Nm) 300 315 480 520 500 475
0-100km/h (s) 8.8 8.1 9.4 8.3 6.1 6.5
km per litre 7.8 11 11.6 13.8 7.6 9.6

It looks like has made significant improvements to the turbodiesel engine in the BMW X5 3.0d, with fuel efficiency increased and more than a second shaved off it’s 0-100km/h acceleration time. The new six-cylinder turbodiesel is 25kg lighter than the previous engine thanks to a new all-aluminium crankcase. The BMW X5 3.0si’s six-cylinder petrol engine features Double VANOS (when the engine valves open) and VALVETRONIC (how much they open). The BMW 4.8i stats are a little tricky, as I could find the old X5 in 4.8si form, but the new X5 is a 4.8i, which explains the power drop in my comparison. Even for the 3.0 petrol, I am comparing the old 3.0i to the new 3.0si, because that is what BMW provided with the new model’s press release. Improved acceleration times are partly because of the new six-speed automatic gearbox that comes with the new E70 BMW X5. The new torque converter allows 50% quicker shifts.

New interior enhancements include BMW’s iDrive controller and a HUD display. There is also an electronic parking brake instead of the conventional design. Other improvements enhance the driveability of the car – Adaptive Drive and Active Steering. Adaptive Drive uses a combination of active hydraulic anti-roll bars and electronic damper control to counteract body roll during cornering. The Active Steering system varies steering lock for a more comfortable steering experience – more lock at slow speeds for easier parking and the opposite for highway speeds for a smoother, more composed drive.

The new BMW X5 also gains run-flat tyres which allows you to drive the SUV up to 145km at speeds of up to 80km/h ni the event of a puncture, enough for you to get to a workshop and get it fixed. Other active safety features include Dynamic Stability Control+, which from the name I assume is an improved DSC. What does DSC+ have over normal DSC other than traction control? There are four main functions:

Brake Pre-tensioning – primes the brakes for fastest braking action when system detects the driver lifting his foot off the accelerator in a sharp reaction.

Brake Drying
– improves wet braking performance by periodically applying the brakes to scrub away the film of water that builds up on brake discs.

Hill Start Assistant
– Automatically applies the brakes while the driver moves his foot from the brake to accelerator pedal on uphill terrain to prevent the vehicle from sliding backwards.

Brake Fade Compensation – Applies extra braking force automatically when sensors detect brake fade due to heat build up.

The addition of a third row of seats is indeed welcome with the new E70 X5, helping make it more competitive against rivals like the Porsche Cayenne, the Audi Q7, the Volvo XC90 and the Mercedes Benz M-Class. Click any of the photos in this blog post for an enlarged version. Here are some videos of the new BMW X5 E70:

[UPDATE: Test Drive Report of 2007 BMW X5 4.8i and 3.0d in Athens.]

[UPDATE: The new second generation E70 BMW X5 has been launched in Malaysia. Click here for prices and other details.]

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • asimo (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 9:42 am

    lawa-lawa….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Bbingbong (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 9:50 am

    wau!!

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  • aksMs (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 10:12 am

    Well, the look doesn't have significant changes except for the lower front…I think. More of a facelift to me. Oh, and longer and wider body too. Nevertheless, a good move by BMW as others are already offering 7-seaters in their top SUVs.

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  • cnc (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 2:22 pm

    i have spent almost half an hour on this page. It is definitely worth! What a decent car and what a SAV from BMW. The Ultimate Driving Machine, here it comes..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • maxtek (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 4:52 pm

    Overall, BMW's X5's sales has never topped the Land/Range Rover's sales, for this new model, people are likely to love the new upgrades on performance, but hate it for it's "facelifted design".

    Either way, the best makers of powerful SUVs are still Land/Range Rover!

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 5:10 pm

    Exterior looks ugly

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  • kimmy (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 5:12 pm

    Great car. Though pretty predictable. It looks nice, but it's just…there's no surprise. nothing. it's like i've seen it a million times before already. though i suppose i have; apart from spy pics and photoshop predictions, it's really just the current X5 with some bangle cues thrown on, styling wise. same applies to the interior. still, looks good, inside and out. just…nothing surprising at all. I'll still take the Range Rover everytime!!!

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  • jtshin (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 5:16 pm

    wow… ice n sand drifting.. hiak hiak… well, I like this X5 overall… good handling there… just dunno why they like to put wood n chrome trim interior.. hmmm… but the exterior I like it n it doesn't look ugly… hehe…

    after finish watching the videos, the comments added 2. looks like i'm here quite a whie already..

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  • djyakuza (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 6:00 pm

    so tell me why didn't they use this car in Tokyo Drift?

    awesome power slide on ice..

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  • J (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 6:00 pm

    Look at that fat tyres and muscular sport rim !!

    Compare to previous model, this is more refined…

    Love that camera window :)

    Thanks for info..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • szw (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 6:11 pm

    looks not much diff .

    but got certain innovation lar .

    tokin bout fat tyres .

    i've seen a X5 wif 22" supercar tyres(305) .

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  • Akazamabamaboo (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 7:45 pm

    The interior looks really neat and luxurious. The exterior is a bit of an oddball, but it will grow on us. Trust me, it WILL. :D

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  • raz_R (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 8:18 pm

    listen to the sound of the V8

    ganas O_O

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  • e-nabilll (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 8:22 pm

    x5 always has been my dream car…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jay (Member) on Aug 12, 2006 at 9:02 pm

    i have driven one a few times. That was 4.4i v8 then. BMW is awesome. It sure does handle pretty well than most cars out there. But the experience i had was a memorable one. it's better off a 5 seater than a 7 actually. I think i'm gifted in a way to drive such a luxury sav.

    Believe me very noisy engine, but very nice when hit the gas ….. ! 225 km/h effortless. the distence to empty (dte) is not like the Gen 2 … very inaccurate, this is pin point accurate !

    New x5 will do well, not sure here though, definitely in north America !

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  • mfg030380 (Member) on Aug 13, 2006 at 12:35 am

    I do think that it has change pretty much at the front, especially the hood and bumper. Wait till we see the real thing…..

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  • Akazamabamaboo (Member) on Aug 13, 2006 at 12:47 am

    Deep Purple's "Highway Star" comes to mind…

    Nobody gonna take my car, I'm gonna race it to the ground.

    Nobody gonna beat my car, it's gonna break the speed of sound.

    Oooh it's a killing machine, it's got everything.

    Like a driving power, big fat tyres and everything.

    ROCK ON!!!

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  • DAN (Member) on Aug 13, 2006 at 2:17 am

    the car that proving will in all aspect

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  • DrA (Member) on Aug 13, 2006 at 2:17 am

    The rear most seats looks really cramp. I don't think any adult would be comfortable or even fit in there. Design wise – looks the same as its predecessor which was Bangle design anyway.

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  • OtakOtak (Member) on Aug 13, 2006 at 2:48 am

    Good car, best quality and the ulktimate luxury for SAV/SUV

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  • V_NoZ (Member) on Aug 13, 2006 at 3:59 am

    bmw.. always the best!…. ulitame driving machine… fresh new look! a new look of the future!.. radical design!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • raybrig85 (Member) on Aug 14, 2006 at 5:53 am

    beemer…beemer…beemer…one of the laziest dsg studio inside porsche…and most of their car are really ugly…including this one…

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  • layman (Member) on Aug 14, 2006 at 7:30 pm

    bmw.. always the best!…. ultimate driving machine!!!! The design and technology so revolutionary and advance (as the american company advertising phrase like, cutting edge, quantum leap, state of the art, you name it). This has made most of normal people having an impression that the car is ugly.

    But back to the reality:- 'not enough money to have this one'

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  • V_NoZ (Member) on Aug 14, 2006 at 10:14 pm

    i wonder why audi/merc dont come out with this type of video shoots..

    i guess they are always not ready to compete with the X5… sure malufied!

    paul! do u have video of merc's ML/ the latest audi's Q7?

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  • redragon (Member) on Aug 15, 2006 at 1:19 am

    YES ! me wants one.

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  • bibin cg on Sep 09, 2009 at 3:14 am

    so tell me why didn’t they use this car in Tokyo Drift?

    answer

    sorry this car is not for drifting

    and this is a exicutive car…………………..

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