German luxury car maker BMW on Thursday launched the new generation of its popular X5 SUV in India at a starting price of Rs 72.9 lakh for the diesel variant. While the diesel models will be available across the country starting Thursday, the petrol version, which will be BS-VI compliant, will only be available later this year.
BMW X5 is one of the top selling models for the carmaker in the Indian market, and the latest version of the SUV will compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLE, Range Rover Velar and Audi Q7.
“The BMW X5 has been the best-selling car in this segment for many years and has become one of our most successful models… The all-new BMW X5 is bound to add another chapter to this success story by introducing a new interpretation of the letter X,” said Hans-Christian Baertels, president, BMW India.
Baertels added that 2019 will be a year of excitement for the company’s customers, with highest number of product launches lined up for the Indian market. Last year, BMW was among the fastest growing luxury carmakers in the country and managed to clock 13 per cent sales growth by selling 11,105 units. It also reported its highest-ever first quarterly sales at 2,982 units during the last quarter.
Coming back to the new X5, the vehicle comes in three trims: 30d Sport (Rs 72.90 lakh), 30d XLine (Rs 82.40 lakh) and 40 MSport (Rs 82.40 lakh). The new X5 is slightly longer and wider than the outgoing model thanks to the new CLAR (Cluster Architecture) platform it shares with the 5 and 7 Series sedans.
The three-litre six-cylinder diesel engine of the BMW X5 xDrive30d produces a power output of 195 kW or 265 hp and a maximum torque of 620 Nm at 1,500-2,500 rpm. It is capable of going from 0-100 km per hour in 6.5 seconds. The BS VI compliant petrol engine, meanwhile, produces 340 hp of power and a maximum torque of 450 Nm at 1,500-5,200 rpm.
From inside, the car has got a complete makeover now equipped with a 12.3-inch floating infotainment touchscreen, horizontal centre console and a fully-digital instrument cluster called the BMW Live Cockpit Professional display. Safety wise, the new X5 includes six airbags, attentiveness assistance technology and ISOFIX child seat mounting capabilities.