by Updated Design and Technologies
The next generation of the BMW X5 will receive an updated exterior with a simplified kidney grille. Styling elements from the Neue Klasse will be noticeable throughout the SUV’s design. The car will be offered with a wide range of powertrains: gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and electric.
The X5 has never been BMW’s boldest design statement, but it has managed to avoid the extremes noticeable in other models of the lineup. However, the excessively large kidney grilles on the current model do not add to its appeal. They don’t completely ruin the look, but they don’t enhance it either.
The good news is that a new generation is on the way, and the first signs point to a cleaner design direction, as well as a range of powertrain options that goes far beyond most expectations.
BMW has begun testing the future X5, which has the internal designation G65, and sent a prototype north to Sweden for winter testing. Although it is still camouflaged, it is already obvious that the SUV will receive design elements from BMW’s Neue Klasse era.
Neue Klasse Influence on the X5
Like the second-generation iX3, the new X5 will have redesigned headlights with clearly defined daytime running lights and a more technical front-end aesthetic. A glossy black panel extends to the center of the front, echoing the layout of the electric vehicle, and will house a pair of vertically oriented kidney grilles. Although on this prototype they are still hidden by camouflage, their shape is clearly visible under the covering.
The rear of the new X5 will also differ sharply from the current model. It will shed the traditional taillights of the previous model and replace them with slim horizontal LED units reminiscent of those used on the XM. This prototype also has a curved rear spoiler extending over the window, adding a striking new design element.
Interior Changes
The interior is also in for a thorough redesign. Recent spy shots have confirmed that the new X5 will get the same panoramic iDrive system as the iX3. This includes a narrow display extending near the base of the A-pillars, paired with a sharply angled central infotainment screen.
Although the steering wheel on this prototype may differ from the iX3’s square four-spoke unit, it appears it will use a more conventional two-spoke design, with enough visual weight to stand out on its own.
Powertrain Options
At its core, the G65 X5 will continue to use BMW’s CLAR architecture, albeit in an updated form. This means a familiar chassis with enough flexibility to support gasoline, hybrid, and electric variants without the need to reinvent the platform from scratch.
According to sources, the gasoline model will be sold in 40, 40 xDrive, 40d xDrive, 50e xDrive, M60 xDrive, and M60e xDrive versions. A powerful X5 M version also seems inevitable. In addition to selling a range of internal combustion engine models, the brand will introduce a fully electric iX5 model, which will be sold in 50 xDrive, 60 xDrive, and M70 xDrive variants.
The powertrain options don’t end there. In addition to gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and electric models, there may be an iX5 version with a range extender, named Rex, with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. The new X5 will also become the first series-produced BMW model available with a hydrogen fuel cell.
BMW’s approach to the new X5 demonstrates a strategy focused on maximum customer choice, which contrasts with the general trend of many manufacturers to quickly transition entirely to electric vehicles. By simultaneously offering traditional, hybrid, electric, and even hydrogen technologies within a single model, the company not only diversifies risks but also prepares the market for various scenarios of infrastructure and energy development. Such flexibility could prove to be a key advantage in conditions of uncertainty, allowing for a quick response to changes in demand and regulation in different regions of the world.
