Expect more of such "impressive" interiors in the future BMW models as well (X6, new 7er, V5, new 5er, new 6er, new Z4 etc). Also a reinterpretation of driver-oriented central dash part is coming back into BMW vehicles.

Regarding the earlier conversation: There's been plenty of guff about BMW's "DNA" getting diluted by feature creap and curb bloat. Despite all that, the X5 still resets the bar for dynamic performance in its class.

The performance gain that could be had by a theoretically leaner X5 is negligible compared to the throngs of buyers who demand a larger, more luxurious vehicle with 3rd row kiddie seats. It's may be a porker, but it sure doesn't drive like one - that's what's important.

As for the interior - I'm won over. If this is what the future holds for forthcoming models I'm really excited. Can't wait to see the what F01 7er has in store!

Hell yeah!!!

Do not celebrate to early! We are not returning to 90's. Rather imagine evolution of current interior design - yet more refined (ala E70). But a bit more driver oriented.

Again, hell yeah!!!

3.0d test @: - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Top Gear Review by Tom Ford

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER


"Apparently, the new 4.8-litre V8 BMW X5 can hoof around the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife in about 10 minutes. Brilliant. Just what we really need; another fast-attack SUV that's as socially aware as a 14-year-old ASBO-convicted burglar.

If you need space and a high driving position and you don't want an MPV box, then obviously testing the reality of your newest large four-wheel drive against the world's premier road-***-racetrack is exactly where you need to be.




I say this not because I have a problem with sporty SUVs in particular, merely that to be forced to benchmark oneself in such an arbitrary manner spells disaster for nearly everyone. To make it that quick, the X5 employs more acronyms and specialist name tags than any other car currently on the market.

I'll just delve briefly into BMW's bumpf to give you a taste of what you can have on your X5 should you tick the relevant boxes: DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) which incorporates ABS-fettling, ASC (Automatic Stability Control), Trailer Stability Control, HDC (Hill Descent Control) and DBC (Dynamic Brake Control).

Then there's - more relevantly - DTC (Dynamic Traction Control), xDrive four-wheel drive, AdaptiveDrive, active bendy lights, Active Steering, Integrated Chassis Management, FlexRay data transfer... the list goes on. It's even got High Beam Assist for heaven's sake, which switches your high beams on and off for you.

It's all gone a bit techno-loco. To be honest, making a car like this fast around the Nordschleife has about as much relevance to the people actually buying it as drag racing does to knitting.

Those people don't care what all of these clever things do, or how they do it. They're more concerned with image, the propagation and projection of which, along with the correct golf-club membership, will assure them both personal and professional respect.

OK, so that's a bit of a cliché. But people are bothered about what an X5 says about them, and it says quite a lot now that it looks a whole dollop more aggressive, much bigger and not unlike an X3 that's undergone black market clinical trials for growth hormones.

The extra surfaces on the bonnet remind me somewhat suspiciously of stylised armour, and those new gaping-maw air intakes under the front bumper are getting to the point where they might well just gobble up anything in their way. So the SUV arms race collects yet another victim in its wake. Bigger is better, biggest is best. Welcome to Audi Q7 disease, gentlemen.

At least there's a bit of a reason for the supersizing of this latest generation; the extra 18.7cm of length and 6.1cm of width make room for the addition of a fold-out third row of seats and more space inside. Now I know of at least two BMW saloon owners who, when faced with two kids, jumped straight at the Discovery 3. "