The four-wheel drive revolution has somewhat had a great impact on driving
habits of many a drivers. Four wheel drive is not only a status symbol but also is a very practical solution to add comfort and pleasure to many a times boring journeys
BMW has recently launched the X5 four-wheel drive, which has caused a big stir in the motoring arena.

X5 represent a true leading edge in a class of its own even the Mercedes
four-wheel drives don't reach anywhere near X5, s high standards of driving
control comfort and road handling.

BMW means the sheer pleasure of driving, It really means it because you
will not know the difference until you have driven a BMW and once you have
than you would not want to be driving any other car but a BMW.

I have been driving BMW, s for the last 20 years ranging from a 3 series
thru to a BMW 730 SEI and I would not swap my BMW for any other car.

I remember buying a FORD Capri 3.00 litre sports many years ago brand new
car looked beautiful but broke down so often that I eventually gave up on it and moved to a VOLVO that was worst than the FORD and could not get away from this car quick enough…………

My move to a BMW was not planned but after talking to many many friends
about reliability of cars I decided to invest in a BMW even though it was
more expensive to buy in the first place but in the long run I saved a lot
of money as my BMW never broke down unlike the ford Capri or the Volvo.

X5 is another show of BMWs commitment and dedication to its customers to
offer them the highest standards of motoring at very affordable prices.

X5 is described by BMW to offer greatest Xpectations to the customers
Combining off-road versatility with on-the-road driving performance, BMW
X5 represents a new driving concept and Jeremy Walton describes it as spirited all-rounder.
Not only it is terrific to drive on all terrains it also shows BMW can pioneer original design that provide a benchmark in the industry.

BMW calls X5 a sports activity vehicle. Delivering a versatile new breed
of car that offers on-road performance backed up with off-road capability.

The X5 concept was born in 1995 on computer links from California's Desingworks, they were breaking into new territory and the aim was to retain all BMW
characteristics while offering motorists a brand new experience and a thrill every time they mounted this new vehicle. In the ears, which followed the X5, went through thousand of punishing test miles over the harshest terrain while enduring extreme temperatures before being acceptable as a production ready car.

Equipped with a mighty V8 engine the X5 managed speeds similar to some conventional
performance cars round the Nurburgring racetrack's daunting diet of ascending
and plunging twists, It covered the north loop of the circuit in nine and
a half minutes which is only 30 seconds slower than the BMW M3.

This underlines the massive reserve of stable safety that are integral to the design of X5.

The X5 was launched in US market early this year but than was launched in
European mainland and now it's the turn of the UK market to taste and enjoy the thrills of an X5 ride

The all new X5 offers two options 4.4i and 4.4i sports both featuring the mighty roar of V8 engines. Also offering the basic design features at 2.28 meters the X5's wheelbase
is only one centimetre smaller than hat of the BMW 5 Series, and at1.87
metres across it is 6cm broader than the mid-sized BMW saloon. Only the X5's roof height of 1.72 metres extends beyond the BMW norm resulting in a generous amount of front headroom more, in fact, than you would find n
a 7 series

Interior design also includes excellent carrying capacity through individually folding rear seat backrests. An X5 luggage compartment accommodates anything from 465 to 1550 litres and loads to half a tonne.

X5 features full leather upholstery, multi function steering wheel, an on-board computer and automatic air-conditioning as standard.

The luxury wood trim is complemented by BMW's business RDS radio cassette,
a rear partition net to fend off stray luggage and a pair of 12 volt charge
socket in the rear compartment to power a range of ancillaries from fridge
to a TV, In addition, standard equipment on the 4.4i sports model includes
a 19 inch Y-spoke alloy wheels. Sports suspension and black high gloss exterior.
The interior is fitted with electrically adjustable sports seats, Sports
steering wheel, titan line interior trim and an anthracite heading

The verdict on X5
The X5 is a supremely versatile vehicle, engineered to meet the expectations of the world's most demanding drivers. They expect nothing less than the outstanding performance from BMW, but also require an off-road competence
that has not previously been offered by a manufacturer renowned for its sporting flair. Such expectations have been met and exceeded throughout the X5's exceptional range of talents. My own opinion is " have money will travel" only in an X5.