Instead of one of those silly channel ident
things down in the corner, I thought I’d try something like this. The mid-90s was a seminal time for BMW. They’d returned to Formula 1 in 1998 with
Williams, and with their help they would win the 1999 24 hours of Le Mans. They’d purchased both Rover and Land Rover
to turn BMW into a large volume car manufacturer. The new MINI and Rover 75 would revitalise
that company, or so they thought, and the Freelander and new Range Rover would take
Land Rover to the next level. But the BMW brand wasn’t going to be left
out. The X5 would be BMW’s first entry into the
4x4 SUV category. So how did customers react to one of the first
unibody SUVs, and what’s happened in the last 20 years to get us to today’s ginormously
kidney grilled X5? This is the BMW X5 Story. (music) In 1994 BMW purchased the Rover group. With this purchase came Land Rover. BMW had been eyeing Land Rover’s increasing
success in the luxury off-roading market with cars such as the Range Rover. With access to the people who knew how to
make a luxury 4x4, thoughts turned to making a BMW branded SUV. Up until now Land Rover had had the luxury
off-roader market pretty much all to itself. Customers liked sitting up higher as it made
them feel safer. While BMW prepared to launch the new Land
Rover Freelander, they kickstarted an investigation into a BMW-branded off-roader that could use
some of Land Rover’s technology to produce a new generation of BMW that customers would
love. BMW’s design team was charged with coming
up with a full-size model in just 6 weeks – a very optimistic deadline. Designer Frank Stephenson was given 2 hours
– the length of his flight – to sketch a BMW SUV that they could mock-up. With no similar BMWs to use as a design guide,
and stretching a regular 5-series wasn’t really going to work, this was a clean sheet
design. But the shape would use BMW design elements
to let you instantly know who made it, such as a straight fold that went the length of
the car, and the notch back in the rear pillar known as the Hofmeister kink after BMW design
chief Wilhelm Hofmeister. The bonnet had lines along the grille that
gave the car a dynamic look and showed the car’s sporting intentions. A split rear boot showed the Range Rover’s
influence. If you want to hear Frank talk more about
the design process, see the link in the description. BMW management loved the design and work began
turning it into reality. An army of people under Production Development
head Wolfgang Reitzle and Design chief Chris Bangle got to work to turn a rough design
proposal into the final product. For many years passenger cars used a unibody
design, but off-roaders required a separate ladder-frame chassis, the by-product of which
was they sat higher off the ground. And it was that height that customers wanted. But a ladder-frame chassis had the disadvantage
of body roll through high speed corners, and in general it didn’t feel good on the road. BMW’s slogan was “The Ultimate Driving
Machine”. If the car was to wear the BMW badge it had
to handle well, and not even Land Rover had been able to crack that nut. But times were changing. With BMW’s help, the new BMW-funded Range
Rover would shift to a unibody design, and BMW would do the same with their new car,
using the 5-series chassis. BMW wasn’t the first to think of this though. The unibody “Sport Luxury Vehicle”, the
Lexus RX300, would appear on the road in 1998, a year before BMW’s X5. But BMW felt their engineering staff, with
years of experience making great handling cars, could make a car with good on-road performance. Although less important, the car would also
be good off-road. The decision was taken to drive all four wheels,
and to use larger wheels with bigger suspension travel. BMW already had experience making 4x4s with
the 1987 5-series. But with BMW being known for its rear wheel
drive cars, the company was sure to put more of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels
to give the car a BMW feel. At this time all taller cars were expected
to have some form of off-roading ability, and BMW’s new car would come under intense
scrutiny as an off roader. Land Rover would come to the rescue with features
from its cars such as adjustable suspension, an Off Road Engine Management system and hill
descent control, where the car’s computers would control the brakes to try to manage
steep descents with ease. Land Rover’s long expertise in off-roading
would be of immeasurable value in helping BMW create a car that first and foremost handled
well on-road but had unique off-roading abilities. However, BMW was keen to dampen off-roading
expectations by calling their car a “Sport Activity Vehicle”, or SAV. And in this BMW judged its target market perfectly. Their customers wanted a car that made them
feel safe sitting higher than other drivers, with lots of metal around them. They wanted the comfort that their car would
be sure-footed through freezing, snowy conditions, but they weren’t going to start scaling
mountains with it. The higher stance would have another important
benefit – more interior space. With roughly the same footprint on the road
as the 5-series, the car would have more room for both passengers and luggage. It all added up to a better package. While the car, now called the X5, would be
based on the 5-series, it would use more powerful engines from BMW’s range as it was a good
600 kg (1356 lb) heavier than the 5-series. The entry level engine would be a 3.0L 6-cylinder,
with various 4L V8’s for those who wanted more power. As BMW readied the car for launch, it was
clear that they’d made the right decision. Mercedes had launched the M-Class in 1997,
Toyota the RX 300 in 1998, and Honda would launch their MDX in 2000. But inside it was clear that BMW wanted to
set its car apart. The interior was luxurious, featuring leather
and wood throughout, and the latest in electronic gadgetry such as GPS navigation. BMW knew who their first customers would be
– Americans, and production would begin in the USA and Mexico to protect against currency
fluctuations and save on transportation costs. Large American roads and parking spots were
made for this car. And although there was concern from some that
the car’s off-roading ability was compromised with a unibody chassis, customers just didn’t
care. To help promote the new X5, BMW slotted a
V12 engine from the BMW V12 LMR that had, with Williams’ help, won the 1999 Le Mans
24 hour race. The engine helped not only set a new lap record
at the Nürburgring in 2000, but also dispel any thoughts that this was any kind of off-road
utility vehicle. Reviewers were already calling it a “crossover
vehicle” upon its launch in 1999. And it was more than just an “estate on
stilts”. Reviewers did try taking this car off-roading
to prove its 4x4 credentials, but over the years this happened less and less as it became
clear that this was purely an on-road vehicle. When pushed about its lack of off-roading
abilities, BMW said their Land Rover division produced cars for people who were serious
about off-roading. But with a poor UK exchange rate and the Rover
division haemorrhaging money, not only Rover but the Land Rover division had to be cut
loose in 2000. The X5 would now be BMW’s main vehicle to
capitalise on the lucrative luxury off-roader market. Soon the car was being sold in Europe, and
in 2001 BMW added a 3.0L 6-cylinder diesel to ensure their luxury car had the most appeal. It also received a relatively large styling
update in 2003, given mid-cycle facelifts are usually minor affairs. But BMW felt the car’s style needed improving,
so the front in particular got a marked update. The 4WD system would be improved as the “xDrive”
system in 2004. Previously the power delivered between front
and rear was fixed. xDrive could vary power to the front or rear
axles in milliseconds, transferring up to 100% of engine power to either axle, thus
allowing the vehicle to regain traction quickly. With the X5 selling well, and the 3-series
being BMWs strongest seller, it was only natural that they would branch out with the X3 in
2003. Land Rover’s Freelander had shown there
was a market for a smaller, taller car. Reviewers didn’t think the X3 looked quite
as good as the X5, especially from the rear, but hey, it was cheaper! Oscar Wilde said that “Imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”. BMW’s lawyers begged to differ when they
sued the Red Star Auto Manufacturing Company of China for their Shuanghuan SCEO for the
striking similarity of its rear end with the X5. But the lawsuit occurred in 2008, and at that
time BMW had already given up on this rear end look with the 2nd generation X5 in 2006. One thing BMW wanted to fix with its new X5
was its size. The X3 and X5 were just 10cm (4”) different
in length, so the new car would grow in width, height and almost 19cm (7”) in length to
differentiate it. This also allowed it to offer a 3rd row of
seats, so it could compete with the more practical Volvo XC90 that had been offering this since
2002. As far as interior gadgets went, it received
a heads-up display, plus BMW’s maddening iDrive joystick (you can tell I don’t like
that thing), a UI gadget BMW used as the screen was so far away from the driver, touchscreens
wouldn’t work. To improve handling, Dynamic Drive used active
anti-roll bars to counteract body roll, and Active damping allowed drivers to alter the
comfort of the suspension. If you wanted a car taller than the 5-series,
but not as tall as the X5, BMW had you covered with the new X6 in 2007. It was around the same length and width of
the X5, but essentially a taller version of the 6-series coupé. In fact BMW invented a new name for this car
– the Sport Active Coupé that precisely no one else used to describe it. As the car’s very close mechanically to
the X5, its usually produced alongside it. And that’s precisely what happened in 2009
when production of the X5 expanded to Russia. Back in Europe, BMW further expanded the X
range in 2009 with the X1, and both the X5 and X6 were given a boost with performance
“M” versions using a 4.4L V8. There was consternation from BMW purists who
felt that M cars should be reserved for pure driving cars, whatever they are. Again, this was a case of BMW reacting to
competition such as the Porsche Cayenne. The new M version had a quite frankly astounding
0-60 time of just 4 seconds, beating out both the Range Rover Sport and the Cayenne. But it wasn’t all about acceleration, the
M version featured improved power distribution to all four wheels and better power steering. The mid-cycle update for the 2nd generation
X5, known by BMW’s marketing team as the “Life Cycle Impulse” update, seemed more
minor than the first. The fog lamps were moved and the look of the
front bumper was updated. But bigger changes were found under the bonnet,
with more powerful and lighter 6-cylinder and V8 engines, and a new straight-6 diesel. BMW also introduced technology features already
seen on competitor’s cars such as speed limit information and active cruise control. There was a small but thriving trade turning
regular luxury cars into road-going tanks. They included such things as bullet-proof
body panels, stronger polycarbonate glass, run-flat tyres and a PA system to talk to
assailants. BMW released an X5 Security edition as early
as 2003 with all these features and more. By 2011 one could be snapped up for a mere
£168,000 ($220K USD, €186K, $307K AUD)! The perfect Christmas gift for the dictator
who has everything! It had now been more than 10 years since the
X5 was launched, and sales had remained pretty steady. But it had clearly been the right direction
to take the company, as the X1, X3, X5 and X6 sales were helping to keep BMW competitive
as customers moved to crossover vehicles. BMW’s 3rd generation X5 in 2013 was another
evolutionary change rather than anything revolutionary. The outside got tweaked a little, as did the
interior. Features such as improved adaptive suspension
helped this high car drive more like a regular passenger car. The car continued to offer the finest quality
both inside and out, with 7 layers of paint and high-quality leather and wood trim. The 2010 update introduced lighter engines,
and BMW continued to remove weight from this heavy car with an aluminium bonnet and thermoplastic
side panels. Depending upon the model, the new X5 was up
to 90 kg lighter (198 lb). For the first time the car was offered as
rear wheel drive only, with BMW acknowledging that customers were buying this car purely
because they wanted a taller 5-series and didn’t wish to pay more for all wheel drive. BMW also did work to customise the X5 for
use as an emergency services vehicle. As the demand for the X5 grew around the world,
BMW started producing it in more parts of the world. But the USA was still the main market, accounting
for 30% of all X5 sales. Another X car appeared in 2014, this time
the X4 – either a shrunk down X6, or a taller 4-series depending upon how you looked at it. BMW had been experimenting with hybrid technology
almost since the X5’s launch, but BMW finally launched a production plug-in hybrid model
in 2015. For the first time it was offered with a 4-cylinder
engine, plus a motor and battery to increase its range. But with a range of just 14 miles (23 km)
on electric power – was it really worth the effort to plug it in when you got home? BMW launched more X series models in a quest
to use all the numbers from 1 to 7 – the X2 in 2017 and the X7 in 2018. Oddly enough the X2 was a smaller car than
the X1. Is it supposed to be a taller coupé than
the 2-series, or slightly lower than the X1 for people afraid of heights? I’m sure there’s a plan here somewhere,
as BMW has sold plenty of them since it launched. The X7 would complete BMW’s X variant line-up,
unless you’re expecting an X version of the new 8-series coupé. Instead of a mid-cycle refresh of the 3rd
generation X5, we got a 4th generation model in 2018. The front kidney grille grew to such colossal
proportions that it’s become a point of contention for BMW fans ever since it launched. Inside the cabin, the new X5 provided new
levels of luxury. The dashboard went digital, and the steering
wheel gained more buttons than you see on a Formula 1 car. Every car nowadays has cupholders, but the
X5 has heated and cooled cupholders. Because no one should live in a world where
their scalding cup of Starbucks coffee is just left to go cold on its own while you’re
on your way to work. But seriously, like every X5 before it, this
is one beautifully put together car and driving one is like being in your private club. BMW showed off a hydrogen-powered concept
in 2019, but with BMW’s commitment to future EV production it may be that future X5s go
all electric to resemble something like a Tesla Model X, a car that’s been eating
into X5 sales. BMW’s purchase of Rover and Land Rover in
1994 was an attempt to turn itself into a large volume car manufacturer. That dream ended in disaster, but the X5 project
was the genesis of a series of Sport Whatever Vehicles, that, along with a rising standard
of living, had helped BMW’s premium cars move into the mainstream. By 2016, 1 in 3 BMWs would have an X on the
boot. But its success had been deserved. The X5 is an amazing vehicle. It helped prove that high unibody cars could
be comfortable on the road and continues BMWs goal of building the “Ultimate Driving Machine”. You love cheese, you love chocolate, and you
loved cheesy chocolate, so you’ll go mad for new squeezy cheesy chocolate! It’s all that great taste and dubious hygiene
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hazard by Good Food magazine, and a complete waste of both cheese and chocolate by Cheese
and Chocolate magazine. So come on mam, give your kids Squeezy Cheesy
Chocolate today! A big thank you to all my Patrons for supporting
me. To get early advert-free access to new videos,
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