2011 BMW X5 Begins Production, Features Extensive Efficiency Upgrades

The 2011 BMW X5 has begun production and will be hitting dealerships in the very near future. This latest generation of the brand’s flagship sport-utility vehicle makes a number of substantial improvements over the departing 2010 BMW X5. Immediately obvious are the changes that have been made to the SUV’s appearance. The 2011 BMW X5 sports far more graceful sheet metal than any edition of the vehicle to come before it, with much of the 2010 BMW X5’s anonymity having been purged from the design. The front aero package is both purposeful and sleek, and the truck’s entire look has been cleaned up dramatically to present a much simpler and more engaging face to the world.

Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to like the new BMW X5. In addition to its fresh looks, the crossover SUV has been gifted with two new drivetrain options for the 2011 model year. The entry-level xDrive35i features a 300 horsepower 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six that has been redesigned to offer better response and reduced fuel consumption when compared to the unit found in the 2010 edition. The xDrive50i trim replaces the six-cylinder with a V-8 engine that features twin-turbochargers that together help to produce 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. The final rung in the 2011 BMW X5 engine ladder, the xDrive35d, is unchanged with 265 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque on tap from its 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel.

BMW to Introduce the New X5 in Geneva

The 2011 BMW X5 will have two turbo engine options, including a top-of-the-line twin-turbo V-8 that makes 400 horsepower.

Can it be true that BMW has been building S.U.V.’s for more than a decade now?

Yes, and this spring, the German luxury automaker will celebrate the X5’s new decade by introducing its latest makeover. The Geneva auto show in early March will be the refreshed S.U.V.’s official international debut, with its North American introduction the following month at the New York auto show. It goes on sale in the United States shortly thereafter.

BMW says the new generation X5 is not as underwhelmingly evolutionary as it may look; it is really revolutionary, with some 4,000 new, noncarryover parts. Two new model designations also join the lineup: the xDrive 50i and xDrive 35i. Perhaps the most significant of those changes will be under the hood, where new turbocharged engines will make mischievous amounts of additional power.

2011 BMW X5: 2010 New York Auto Show

2011 BMW X5


]

2011 BMW X5 Picture

The face-lifted BMW X5 for 2011.
BMW has face-lifted the X5 for model year 2011, adding new engines, and will put the new crossover on sale in the U.S. shortly after its debut in early April at the 2010 New York Auto Show.

The 2011 X5 will come in three flavors for the U.S.: the familiar xDrive35d turbodiesel, plus the new xDrive35i and xDrive50i.

The range-topping X5 xDrive50i features a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 from the X6, delivering 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, mated to a new eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. BMW quotes 0-60-mph acceleration in 5.3 seconds. Prices will start at $59,275.

The X5 xDrive35i gets a new single-turbo 3.0-liter direct-injection inline six-cylinder engine rated at 300 hp. Fitted with an eight-speed automatic, the car will sprint from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. Prices will start at $46,675.

2011 BMW X5 PHOTOS

2011 BMW X5

2011 BMW X5

2011 BMW X5

2011 BMW X5

2011 BMW X5 Revealed

BMW says the updated X5 is more powerful, more efficient and more luxurious than the outgoing model, although local specifications aren’t expected to be confirmed until the June launch date draws nearer.

2011 BMW X5

While BMW spent last year adding upgraded engines to its lineup, the X5 sat untouched, forced to enjoy only the 3.0-liter diesel found in the xDrive35d. A potent mill, yes, but the other Bimmers received a more efficient, single turbo inline-six; if they didn't, more power came to their twin-turbo setup. A 400-hp twin-turbo V-8 headlined the X6, while the M versions of it and the X5 boasted a silly 555-hp. Now, the standard X5 gets its turn: Along with an exterior refresh, the 2011 BMW X5 receives two new powertrains.

At the top of the hierarchy is the X5 xDrive50i, which features BMW's all-aluminum, twin-turbo V-8. With direct injection, variable valve timing, and its "reverse flow" setup (the turbochargers rest in the valley between the cylinders), the engine makes 400-hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, the latter from 1750 rpm to 4500 rpm. Like the X6, BMW claims acceleration to 60 mph in the X5 xDrive50i takes 5.3 seconds. Yet the X5 undercuts the current Sports Activity Coupe by $8800 by starting at $59,275.