New car news

09 February 2010 - 11:00

X5 update

There's some sorcery going on at BMW. In the usual realm of science, giving an engine more grunt results in better fuel economy and industrial levels of C02.

Not in Germany. This is the facelifted X5, which will be shown at Geneva. It gets three new engines, each of which is more powerful yet also more efficient. And each features a stupefying amount of words and letters in its name.

The entry-level xDrive30d has been upgraded and now produces 10 per cent less CO2, while getting 7kW more power.

The xDrive35d dies, replaced by the xDrive40d, which again has 10 per cent less CO2, while getting a 14kW increase (up to 228kW).
 
At the top end of the range, the V8 petrol xDrive50i replaces the xDrive48i and gets 39kW more power (304kW, 0-100km/h in a vaguely terrifying 5.5 seconds).
 
All engines will get an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard. There are also visual changes, involving front bumpers with bigger vents, aluminium-look scuff plates and vent fins, and new xenon headlights with LED ‘corona rings' (don't they open beer bottles?). Around the back, the rear lights now have horizontal LED bars, there's a new bumper and some fatter tailpipes.
 
The new range goes on sale from 5 June.