BMW X Models News

BMW believes there's no such thing as too much choice with its all-new fifth-generation BMW X5.Why else would it go ahead and develop no less than five different powertrains that include a mild-hybrid petrol and diesel, plug-in hybrid, all-electric and, from 2028, a hydrogen fuel-cell?On sale in Australia late this year, the new BMW X5 is the third member of the German brand's Neue Klasse family of next-generation vehicles, lining up alongside the mid-size iX3 and more recently unveiled i3.Like the electric mid-size SUV and sedan, it adopts the firm's latest design language that sees the large SUV embrace striking monolithic proportions, a bold front end with the Neue Klasse visor and a large pair of illuminated vertical kidney grilles.You won't miss it in a car park.If you don't dig the double X LED running lamps, BMW says you can dial them back to double strikes, while the lamps themselves neatly integrate the indicators and provide a clean, imposing look.Along its flanks, the simple surfacing and a lack of any jarring door handles reinforce the X5's imperious stance, while muscular arches and large wheels that range from 21 to 23-inches mean this isn’t an SUV for shrinking violets.Measuring in at 4994mm long, 2000mm wide and standing a towering 1742mm, with a substantial 3035mm wheelbase, some family owners might lament the loss of both the handy split tailgate and the option of a third row of seats, with both the X5 and iX5 strictly five-seaters.Grab the door winglets and the front doors swing open automatically, like they would in a 7 Series limo or a million-dollar Rolls-Royce.Inside, the luxurious Mercedes GLE or Audi Q7 rival picks up where the iX3 left off, boasting the same Panoramic Vision that features a digital strip display that stretches across the entire top half of the dash.Complementing the configurable strip is a large 3D head-up display and a massive 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen that can be combined with a passenger screen.Helping compensate for the lack of physical controls is a multifunction steering wheel that provides haptic feedback when in use.All the in-car tech runs the car-maker's latest OS X software that now embed Amazon Alexa AI tech within its handy virtual assistant.As well as a striking design, the X5 features a blend of new high-grade leathers and a fresh choice of natural materials, that even include slate for the first time around the gear lever.Helping BMW's latest X5 offer a wide range of powertrains, the large SUV misses out on the brand's next-generation Neue Klasse platform that is reserved for EVs.Instead, the new SUV sits on an upgraded version of the current car's CLAR underpinnings.Even though it misses out on the more advanced architecture, the all-electric iX5 still comes with BMW's latest sixth-generation eDrive powertrain that uses cylindrical cells that have a 20 per cent higher energy content than before.Sharing the same 800-volt electrics as the BMW iX3, the bigger SUV boasts a class-leading 800km range. The German brand says its unbeatable distance between charges comes from efficiency gains, although we think the enormous 140kWh battery does most of the heavy lifting.Plug it in and the charging rate is said to exceed 450kW, with a 10 to 80 per cent charge set to take less than 25 minutes.Add a tow hook and the iX5 can haul up to 2700kg (braked) – not too far off the maximum 3300kg the PHEVs can tow.Impressive, but it's worth mentioning the EVs won't arrive until late 2027.If you can't wait until then or you're not ready for an all-electric revolution, BMW will offer a pair of mild-hybrid combustion engines that combine a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder with a 48-volt integrated starter-generator, plus an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive.The X5 40 xDrive produces 294kW and 540Nm of torque, which is enough for a 0-100km/h dash of 5.4 seconds. The second turbo-diesel, the 230kW/670Nm X5 40d xDrive takes 6.2 seconds for the same sprint but can also average a more miserly 7L/100km (versus 8.6L/100km for the petrol).For Australians, the two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions might be a perfect compromise when they arrive in the second half of next year.Both the PHEVs blend an EV range of up to 100km with either 360kW (X5 50e xDrive) or 450kW for the X5 M60e XDrive that takes just 4.2 seconds to launch from 0-100km/h.Until the sportiest twin-turbo V8-powered X5 M arrives, the flagship PHEV and advanced iX5 60 xDrive remain the sportiest variants, with the latter dual motor EV pumping out 425kW and 805Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.7 seconds.BMW will release full details of the iX5 Hydrogen later, which comes equipped with a third-generation fuel-cell that has been developed with help from Toyota.With plenty of praise already heaped on the BMW iX3, the German brand says its latest Neue Klasse SUV will blend best-in-class handling with high levels of comfort.Included in its dynamic repertoire is the same powerful Heart of Joy superbrain that seamlessly manages torque and all the chassis tech.Whichever you buy, all X5s come with a 50:50 weight distribution, air suspension and rear-wheel steer.A more sophisticated Adaptive Chassis height-adjustable suspension is also available, plus a further semi-active suspension that cancels out body roll for the most comfortable ride.Driver assist tech includes hands-free highway driving and a city assistant driverless mode that helps with working out who has right of way in unfamiliar cities.BMW Australia says it's too early for full details and pricing for the BMW X5 or iX5 but the new fifth-gen large SUV lands it is tipped to be priced from $150,000 plus on-road costs when sales begin at the end of this year.

BMW has strengthened its X1 line-up in Australia, announcing the arrival of the special-edition sDrive18i Sport Collection.

There was restrained celebration across the Australian car world this week after a report by The Australian claimed the controversial Luxury Car Tax (LCT) will be scrapped under the new Albanese government as it targets a free trade agreement with the European Union.

There is life in diesel yet.

If you’ve seen a lot of BMWs on the road lately, there is a reason for it.The Bavarian giant is officially Australia’s favourite premium automotive brand.According to 2024 sales figures, BMW capped the year with 26,341 sales. That represents a modest 0.6 per cent bump over its 2023 results, or in actual figures, BMW sold 157 more cars last year than the year before.For years BMW was the number two marque in Australia behind archrival Mercedes-Benz. But that shifted a few years ago and now BMW is the dominant force in the premium segment.Mercedes splits its sales between two business units — Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. Given none of its premium rivals offer commercial vans or utes, we will focus on cars.BMW was the 14th best-selling brand overall in 2024, wedged between Volkswagen in 13th and Suzuki in 15th.But how did it do so well last year? A couple of factors — SUVs and EVs.Sixty two per cent of BMW sales were for its ‘X’ SUV range. And the leader of that pack was the X1 small SUV with 4536 sales. Despite these solid numbers, it was beaten by the Audi Q3 for sales in the small SUV segment.The X3 was BMW’s next best seller, capturing high sales in runout ahead of the new-gen model arriving, and X5 was third best, while the X7 and 7 Series saloon had their best sales results ever.BMW’s EV sales were also a strong point, with just under 30 per cent of its total sales coming from electric cars. The iX1, i4, iX2 and iX3 made up the bulk of deliveries.Mercedes-Benz recorded 19,989 units in 2024, which was down by 17.8 per cent compared with 2023. Despite having a broader model range, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer saw double-digit sales declines for some of its most popular models including the C-Class (-26%), CLA (-32.7%), A-Class (-16.5%), GLC (-19.3%) and GLE (-41.4%).Benz fared better with some of its EV range, with the EQE medium SUV up by more than 200 per cent to 759 sales and the EQS large SUV also in positive territory (+126.7%). The GLA small SUV was the brand’s best seller, recording 3103 sales, up a healthy 65 per cent year on year.Coming third in the premium car sales race was Audi with 15,333, which represented a 19.5 per cent drop on its 2023 result.The decline can in part be put down to the delayed launch of the Q4 e-tron electric SUV, which now arrives in February, as well as some ageing model lines like the A4 and Q5 mid sizers. Both will be replaced in 2025 with new-gen models.The end of sales for the A1 hatch and TT sports car have also likely had an impact.Like Mercedes, Audi’s sales were a mixed bag. The Q3 was the brand’s star performer, capturing 5497 sales (+23.3%) to top the premium small SUV segment.The only other Audi model in positive sales territory was, interestingly, the A6 (+12%). Large sedans aren’t super popular these days so it’s a great result for a solid offering.On the flipside, the Q7 and A3 went backwards, but the SUV is about to get a big refresh in February, and the A3 has just been updated, too, so they should pick up in 2025.Aside from BMW, Porsche was the only premium brand to achieve sales growth in 2024, with 7029 units up 16.1 per cent. Every model line except the Panamera (-5.7%) and Taycan (-47.3%) saw double or triple-digit growth.Other premium contenders Lexus (13,642, -10.2%), Genesis (1400, -26.9%) and Volvo (8898, -20%) all had sales drops in 2024.

BMW has shown the first images of a close-to-production concept of its new 2026 iX3 and 3 Series interior design.

BMW Australia is confident there’s still a need for small cars in the local market, citing the success of the X1 SUV as it launches its new 1 Series hatch locally.

BMW Australia has plugged the sizeable gap between base and flagship of what is likely to be its most popular model.

Ineos says hydrogen will be part of its future, but it may be further away than you'd hope.

The real world fuel efficiency of cars has long been in question, with owners and road tests repeatedly finding huge chasms between ratings used in advertising and what happens on the road.