2011 BMW X5 Begins Production, Features Extensive Efficiency Upgrades

The 2011 BMW X5 has begun production and will be hitting dealerships in the very near future. This latest generation of the brand’s flagship sport-utility vehicle makes a number of substantial improvements over the departing 2010 BMW X5. Immediately obvious are the changes that have been made to the SUV’s appearance. The 2011 BMW X5 sports far more graceful sheet metal than any edition of the vehicle to come before it, with much of the 2010 BMW X5’s anonymity having been purged from the design. The front aero package is both purposeful and sleek, and the truck’s entire look has been cleaned up dramatically to present a much simpler and more engaging face to the world.

Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to like the new BMW X5. In addition to its fresh looks, the crossover SUV has been gifted with two new drivetrain options for the 2011 model year. The entry-level xDrive35i features a 300 horsepower 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six that has been redesigned to offer better response and reduced fuel consumption when compared to the unit found in the 2010 edition. The xDrive50i trim replaces the six-cylinder with a V-8 engine that features twin-turbochargers that together help to produce 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. The final rung in the 2011 BMW X5 engine ladder, the xDrive35d, is unchanged with 265 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque on tap from its 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel.