First of all, is that Gene from down under, a long-standing member on the old GCF forum?

Back to the matter at hand: the new BMW X5.

Well, I'm not entirely convinced. It's certainly an evolutionary iteration of BMW's ground breaking SAV - I mean how much revolution can you actually build into the design of a large SUV? They just don't lend themselves yet to the creative license we see exercised in, let's say, saloon car design in my humble opinion. A big two-box wagon on stilts is a big two-box wagon on...

The side profile is instantly recognisable and keeps the X5 DNA wholly intact. To differentiate this as an altogether new generation it's safe to say that the X5 has undergone major reconstructive rhinoplasty. The front may be described by the agents of BMW as aggressive, which it is to a certain extent, but I feel that again, it's a little overdone and fussy. That is a trend that's not unique to the BMW badge of course, the whole crop of recent large SUV's seem to have a huge expanses of frontal area interspersed with smatterings of fussy detailing.

The Audi Q7, Merc ML and new X5 are perfect counterparts with neither exhibiting any particular attribute that differentiates them from the other.

This X5 will be a cracking success once again and has all the mass appeal and status required to cut it in this class, but I know that I'd eat maggot-infested farm manure for a new twin-turbo V8 diesel Rangie Sport.