Passing by the BMW showroom on Dubai\u2019s Sheikh Zayed Road and you\u2019ll see a big sign declaring with unreserved bombast, \u201cThe Boss Is Back,\u201d referring to this all-new X5.<\/p>\n
A bold statement, but not without truth. Released all the way back in 1999, the first X5 was one of the very first mid-size luxury SUVs, BMW smartly realising that customers didn\u2019t actually care about offroading. Taking the Range Rover ethos, Munich ditched all that heavy separate-chassis hardware in favour of a car-like monocoque and stuffing in big V8 engines which gave the X5 both great handling and power enough to sweep to the top of the field.<\/p>\n
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The second gen-car improved upon the styling but didn\u2019t move the goalposts on enough. And the less said about the wallowy overpowered walrus that was the X5M<\/a>, the better. Perhaps that sign should read \u201cRedemption?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n For more information about selling damaged cars, please visit<\/p>\n http:\/\/uae.sellanycar.com\/Selling-Damaged-Cars.html<\/a><\/p>\n First impressions of the reborn F15 X5? From a styling standpoint you can see the old car, but one\u2019s that had a filter marked \u20182013 Styling Trends\u2019 applied to its flanks. Big wheels? Check. Creases? Check. Long flat hood for pedestrian safety that very slightly upsets the looks? Check. But let me refuse cynicism. It\u2019s a handsome piece of design, one that conveys that classical BMW sense of effortless solidity and fits in well with the current range. Slightly anonymous in the vein of current Beemers but premium? Absolutely.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once you get inside, you\u2019ll see where the majority of development dollars went. The X5\u2019s new interior rivals the best in the class with excellent materials throughout, tactile switches and ultra-comfy seats. Take note, aspiring Japanese and Korean premium-car makers; this <\/i>is what a premium cabin feels like. The most visible M Sport touch is the deliciously delicate three-spoke wheel and it\u2019s one of the very best I\u2019ve ever held; perfect size, ideal button placement and a pair of weighty paddles just a finger\u2019s reach away. Oh, and the M-branded key fob is a thing of beauty: weight, beautifully built and a pleasure to hold. You won\u2019t be able to stop fondling it\u2026<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for an X5 with all the toys, this is the one \u2013 and indeed, at AED440,000 for this 50i M Sport Adaptive Suspension model, you\u2019d bloody well expect it be kitted out nicely. Of course there is all the electronics you\u2019d expect like memory seats and the like, but there\u2019s plenty of high end toys too like the excellent heads-up display. And can we take a moment to commend the latest version of iDrive? A cinch to operate one-handed, the latest version on this car features fully redrawn graphics and fully-animated transitions between screens; it\u2019s a pleasure to operate (even though it never properly played Bluetooth audio from my phone\u2026) When it starts up, it even shows a silhouette of Dubai with the Burj in the background! The kind of deft touch that shows how well BMW understands its customers and this region.<\/p>\n