More performance, better looks, and now room for seven by Thom Blackett
BMW X5 – Photo Gallery: When it arrives in late November, the 2007 BMW X5 will up the ante for the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment with a more powerful, 260-horsepower inline six, an available 350-horsepower V8, a new six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, a newly third-row seat that pushes seating capacity to seven, enthusiast goodies like Active Steering and AdaptiveDrive, and a more muscular appearance. What buyers won't find is last year's manual transmission, a third-row seat that's terribly spacious, or what would seem to be a must on any SAV – paddle shifters. Even so, those few points aren't enough to dull the shine of this remarkable vehicle, one that starts between at $46,595.
Whatever you do, don't call the 2007 BMW X5 an SUV. No, it's an SAV, or Sports Activity Vehicle, a leader in its segment that's built right here in the U.S (Spartanburg, South Carolina to be precise). Since making its debut seven years ago, BMW has gone on to sell nearly 600,000 of these home-built SAVs, attracting a range of buyers with six- and eight-cylinder engines, manual and automatic transmissions, a promise of the brand's Ultimate Driving Machine character, and amenities expected from a premium vehicle.
BMW sells the 2007 X5 in two variations: 3.0si and 4.8i. Starting at $46,595 (including destination), the 2007 BMW 3.0si offers buyers a 260-horsepower six-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel-drive traction, a heated washer system joined with rain-sensing wipers, 18-inch alloy wheels with run-flat tires, a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel with memory, dual front power seats with memory and leatherette upholstery, and BMW's much-discussed iDrive central control. However, the $46,000+ price also delivers dual-zone climate control, a 205-watt sound system with an MP3 player and dual subwoofers, six airbags, and possibly the vehicles best selling point – free scheduled maintenance spanning four years or 50,000 miles.
