BMW X5 (E70)

The BMW E70 is the development name for the current X5 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV). It replaced the BMW X5 (E53) in November 2006. It is manufactured alongside the new, 2009 BMW X6 at BMW's Greer, South Carolina plant in the USA and BMW's facility in Toluca, Mexico. The xDrive AWD system updates previewed in the facelifted X5 have continued with further detail improvements for the E70. It uses a double wishbone suspension at the front.[2] The manual transmission is entirely dropped, leaving only the automatic transmission. The E70 features many new technological advancements for this class as standard equipment including BMW's iDrive system, electronic 'joystick' gearshift (no mechanical connection to the gearbox to win space in the console), LED taillamps, the first ever all-polypropylene single module fender module,[3] and options such as head-up display HUD, active steering, active damping, and Dynamic Drive which uses active anti-roll bars which use a hydraulic servo in the middle to actively counteract body roll.[2] The interior of the new, larger, X5 is completely new. It has a large center-mounted display screen and the simplified iDrive, a man-machine interface system also found in the rest of the BMW model range. The E70 further incorporates many comfort options such as a glass panorama-roof, and, for the first time in a BMW, an optional third row seat which has increased the seating capacity in E70 to 7 passengers, addressing criticism of the E53 model which had been regarded as being slightly too small for this market segment. The E70 is also the first production vehicle to use FlexRay, a new extremely fast electrical bus system; it is only used for the control of the chassis damping system. The new 'joy-stick'-style electronic space-saving shifter has since been adopted in the new 2008 BMW 5 Series. For the 2010 model year the X5 received the new iDrive system and the BMW individual audio system along with various other minor updates. The BMW X5 M

is a high-performance derivative of the X5. It was introduced to the press at the New York Auto Show in April 2009, and started appearing in BMW dealerships in September 2009. It competes with cars such as the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. At the time of its launch, it was the world’s most powerful car in its class.[citation needed] The BMW X5 M is the first xDrive all-wheel-drive vehicles from M GmbH along with the X6 M, and is more conventional than its X6 M sibling. The M offers the same utility as the regular X5, with the addition of the V8 M TwinPower Turbo, a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 delivering 555 bhp (414 kW; 563 PS) at 5,750 rpm and peak torque is 501 lb·ft (679 N·m), available between 1,500 and 5,650 rpm. The S63 engine is a high output variation of the N63 power unit. The X5 M can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.0 seconds, and a quarter mile (400m) time of 12.5 seconds with a trap speed of 112 mph (180.2 km/h) was recorded by Car and Driver magazine.[4] In the same test, the X5 M bested the 0-60 mph and quarter mile times of the 2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8, and the 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged. In wet conditions, the X5 M went around the Top Gear Test Track in 1:28.2, 5.1 seconds faster the Audi Q7 V12 TDI.[citation needed] Coupled with special suspension specifically optimized for M that features Adaptive Drive and the newly developed M Servotronic power steering, the performance Sport Activity Vehicle promises very competent handling. Other high-tech features include launch control for maximum acceleration and a six-speed M Sport automatic transmission optimized for performance. Drivers can manually select gears using either paddles or an electronic gear selector lever. Electronically controlled, variable power distribution to the front and rear axle prevents the tendency to oversteer or understeer, before DSC Dynamic Stability Control is required to cut in.