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BMW revealed today the all-new fourth generation X5 SUV. BMW twists the language a bit and calls it an SAV, or Sports Activity Vehicle, but for all intents and purposes, the 2019 BMW X5 carries the classic mid-sized SUV DNA, now with a little more focus on off-road capabilities.
There’s a whole host of engine options including a newly-developed V8 good for 462 horsepower. As for BMW finally committing to giving its biggest (for now) SUV some confidence in the dirt, the Off-Road Package includes two-axle air suspension, skid plates, a locking rear differential and multiple driving modes tailored for sand, rock, gravel or snow.
It’s not exactly a Ford Ranger Raptor or even a Tacoma TRD, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. For too many years BMW has been bolting on lower, stiffer suspension to its SUVs and giving them more power, effectively negating any off-road talents a high-riding SUV would have. On the bright side, this might allude the X5 M model will go further into the off-road territory. Knobby BFGoodrich tires, suspension lift and floodlights? Probably not, but fingers crossed.
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