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Page 1 of 4 The New BMW X5 - major enhancements to the car that broke the mould
Following three years of sales success, including sales up by 32 per cent
this year alone, BMW has announced enhancements to the BMW X5 that improve performance
both on and off-road. The new model debuts in September 2003 at the Frankfurt
Motorshow.
New engines - more power, more refinement
The X5 receives three new engines. Eight-cylinder power comes from a 4.4i V8,
with a new high performance X5 4.8iS arriving in Spring 2004. BMW's latest six-cylinder
3.0 diesel engine is added to the line up, and is complemented by the 3.0i petrol
engine carried over from the existing car.
The new BMW 4.4i V8 engine features VALVETRONIC inlet control and Bi-Vanos
valve timing and is mated to a new six-speed automatic gearbox with gear ratios
tailored for the new X5. This combination has already set new standards of performance
and refinement in the new BMW 7 Series. Developing 320 bhp (an increase of 34
bhp over the outgoing model), the X5 4.4i accelerates from 0 - 100 km/h in only
7.0 seconds (previously 7.5 seconds) before reaching a top speed of 238 km/h
(up from 229 km/h) in its Sport guise.
With its combination of performance and economy, diesel power has proved a popular
option: in fact it is the best-selling model in the UK. The new BMW X5 3.0d features
the second-generation common rail diesel engine, producing 218 bhp (previously
184 bhp) and a huge 500 Nm of torque (up from 410 Nm). From standstill, 100 km/h
is reached in 8.3 seconds (1.8 seconds faster than its predecessor) whilst still
delivering 8.6 liter per 100km (32.8 mpg) on the combined cycle. Top speed is
208 km/h (up from 198 km/h), helped by the new six-speed manual gearbox featured
as standard.
xDrive - action is better than reaction
BMW's new xDrive system enables the power and torque increases to be converted
into usable traction in all driving situations. This completely new, intelligent
four-wheel drive system, announced recently on the forthcoming X3, constantly
varies drive between the front and rear axles, depending upon the traction requirements.
Using information from the wheel sensors and data collected from the DSC stability
system, including the yaw rate and steering angle, xDrive predicts any loss
of traction or tyre slippage and reacts in a few milliseconds. A mid-mounted,
electrically controlled multi-disc clutch is used to distribute drive constantly
between the front and rear wheels, varying the torque delivery to the wheels
which most require it. This could be in a dynamic driving situation or, off-road,
on a slippery surface or incline.
This contrasts with the four-wheel drive system of the outgoing BMW X5 which
works on the basis of a fixed front-to-rear drive ratio, and uses only DSC traction
control for critical interventions
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