BMW is currently hard at work trying to bring out the new BMW X5 as soon as possible to tackle its competitors from Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Both German rivals have newer alternatives to the X5 on the market in the shape of the GLE-Class and Q7 but things are about to change as the X5 gets closer to its unveiling. We will see it in production guise towards the end of this year with deliveries kicking off in 2019, but until then we’ll have to make due with spy shots and videos of prototypes testing around the world.
The latest comes from Youtube and features the G05 X5 being thoroughly tested on the Nurburgring. What you’ll immediately notice are the kidney grilles up front, getting bigger with every new generation of SUVs the Germans are launching. The new X5 will get a bigger set than the outgoing F15 model while the G06 X6 following it, and the G07 X7, will most likely follow the trend. If the BMW X7 iPerformance concept is anything to go by, we’re in for some huge nostrils.
On the technical side of things, the new X5 will use a completely new chassis and platform. Based on the CLAR architecture, it will also support the development of more advanced hybrid solutions than what the current xDrive40e is bringing to the table. Air suspension will most likely be standard, at least for the rear axle, while all-wheel steering might also be introduced once it comes out. As for the engines, don’t expect big changes.
The same 3-liter straight six mills will be used in most models, while 4-pot mills will be available on certain markets around the world. The 4.4-liter V8 will continue to be offered as the top of the range choice on non-M models, while the X5 M version will surely use the same mill as on the current F90 M5. Whether the same all-wheel drive system will be employed as well remains to be seen but we wouldn’t be surprised if BMW became the first premium manufacturer to offer a high-performance SUV which can switch between AWD and RWD at the flick of a button.
Inside the cabin, the latest spy shots show a new design, similar to the one which will be found on the new X7. The center console will have a different look with more buttons, coming closer to what Porsche used to offer. The gear selector has a new design too, similar to the one on the F90 M5, while the instrument cluster will remain digital and most likely be the same as the one used on the new 8 Series which, in production guise, comes extremely close to what the 8 Series Concept showcased a while back. Since the F15 X5 is going out of production in July and the G05 will start production in August, we’ll get to see all these details and more in just a few months.
