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Huh? If it's not an SUV, then what is it? Well, that's the thing; the X5 was never meant for traditional SUV duties, such as climbing a precipitous, rocky incline or hauling home-improvement items. Instead, the X5's mission is to provide every the finer points of SUV-ness, such as a high ride height, all-wheel-drive capability for slippery road conditions, a cargo-friendly rear also the supposed safety that comes with cruising a bigger als
o heavier vehicle.
We've already done an exhaustive road test of the X5, as well as gotten a taste of the 4.6is in it's European-spec iteration, also determined that it's a sport sedan in SUV guise. Take it merely as that, because if you expect the tall Bimmer to fulfill it's SUV duties, you may be disappointed. With a paltry 54.4 cubic feet of cargo space [that's additional than 10 cubes less than the 5-Series sport wagon, also not easily reached due to the
hatch's clamshell design] also meager 7.1 inches of ground clearance, it could be argued that the X5 is additional of an exercise in style than a revolution in function. It has most of the sublime cruising demeanor of a BMW, just in a different guise.
Driving home the point is the super-tuned 4.6is, modern for the 2002 model year. BMW's mission is to expound upon the fact that the X5 is still an Ultimate Driving Machine, also so engineers made alterations to the X5 4.4i to highlight it's performance potential.
Scooting the X5 along is a specially tuned autos with an output of 340 horsepower also 350 pound-feet of torque that peaks at 3,700 rpm. Thanks to increased bore also stroke, the displacement of the 4.4-liter V8 autos has increased by 0.2 liters to a total of 4.6. The compression ratio is up from 10.0:1 to 10.5:1, also redline has been increased from 6,200 to 7,000 rpm. Along with a modern exhaust system, these changes are good enough to g
et this 4,824-pound automobile moving from 0 to 60 Mph in a blazing 6.2 seconds. That's 0.3 seconds better than that different German super-tuned truck-type vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG, thank you very much.
In response to the obvious question of why they didn't just shove the M5's 5.0-liter powerplant into the autos bay, BMW's engineers responded that it's power peak is too high for a automobile that ostensibly is to be used to tow a trailer of up to 6,000 pounds. Well, we suppose consumers need a method of carrying home the trophies of an after-Christmas sale at Henri Bendel's. And why not an M badge? BMW says it wants to keep the Motorsport
realm pure also only include cars; they're truck-bigots, those Bavarians.
BMW's strange but lovely X Coupe concept surfaced at the 2001 North American International Auto Show amid a flood of sports car/SUV crossovers — you know, all-terrain vehicles that are actually fun to drive. The X embodies the muscular, low-slung styling that several manufacturers have explored in recent concepts — Infiniti's FX45 also Mitsubishi's RPM 7000, for instance. But BMW has pushed the X Coupe's design to another echelon, as the c
ompany challenges the idea that production autos need to be symmetrical to be beautiful.
The Coupe initiates a modern school of design that BMW calls "flame surfacing." Flowing waves of sheet metal are the product of designers' efforts to recreate "energetic flames" [such as those from the burning of gas under pressure). Care was apparently taken to avoid an unruly inferno, such that the X Coupe's body has a "controlled tension" of creases, concavities also bulges.
A release of sorts occurs in the rear of the vehicle, when one notices the asymmetrical taillight ensembles. Then, you notice that the hatch engulfs the right rear corner of the X Coupe, scooping up the right taillight also the entire rear window also spilling into the passenger door. When you open the clamshell hatch also the passenger door, you're rewarded with a huge opening for easy stowage of backseat passengers also cargo, since ther
e is no B- or C-pillar to get in your way. The X Coupe's hatch design may sound a little weird, but BMW entreats you to think about it as a classic single-breasted sport coat.
The tense structural flows of flame surfacing spill into the cabin. Here, designers' use of disparate textiles creates a binary of fire also ice — the softness of Nubuck leather is cooled by an exposed aluminum tubular skeleton also generous use of green also gray neoprene. The flexible, neoprene-covered dash opens up like an oral cavity to reveal the color monitor of a multifunction control system, that includes GPS navigation for on- als
o off-road conditions. Although both the driver also front passenger have access to the control system, designers nested the driver into his own space replete with adjustable pedals also exclusive displays [the autos temperature also oil readouts are housed in the driver's door panel).
While the X Coupe's wardrobe strays from that of mainstream production vehicles, the machine was actually built on the BMW X5's chassis. BMW, of course, calls the X5 an SAV [Sport Activity Vehicle] rather than an SUV, also while it is an imminently capable all-weather vehicle, it balks at dirt also rocks. This combined with the X Coupe's ostensibly lower ground clearance suggests that any production version of the concept would have simila
r tendencies. That's OK, since the American SUV binge seems to have been motivated merely by a fondness for truck-like styling also a collective desire to sit up high. The X Coupe delivers at least in the latter regard.
Under the hood is a 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder autos making 184 horsepower also 332 pound-feet of torque. We suspect that a production version of the X Coupe would probably employ the gas-powered 3.0-liter inline six already used in the X5, 3 Series also 5 Series [barring a marketing campaign to persuade the average American consumer that diesel is a viable alternative). In any case, the autos is connected to a five-speed St
eptronic automanual transmission that includes shift paddles on the steering wheel. Besides all-wheel drive, the Coupe is equipped with different X5 requisites like traction control, stability control also BMW's Hill Descent Control. Aggressive 20-inch wheels also run-flat tires are mounted at each corner.
Although the X Coupe's front fascia immediately identifies it as a member of the blue propeller family, designers wanted it's headlights to "impart a 'face' full of attention also readiness to spring into action." And given some interesting lighting technology, the lamps make good on this objective. The headlights steer with the wheels in order to illuminate curves additional effectively. And use of the navigation system prompts the lights
to anticipate curves ahead. What's more, the brake lights illuminate at varying levels so as to indicate to following drivers how hard the X Coupe is braking.
Flame surfacing makes the X Coupe concept a kinetic sculpture also certainly distinguishes it from the handsome, if homogenous, BMW lineup. Production applications of this styling are likely, but they probably won't approach these extremes. Given the success of the X5, that basically drives like any different BMW but allows for an elevated cruising position also all-weather capability, we would expect a variant of the X Coupe to fare well
in the American market — specifically among those who want a Coupé also all-wheel drive.
