BMW has given journalists a prototype drive of the new G65 X5 in South Carolina, and we’re learning more and more about the new SUV. The new X5 40 xDrive, the pure petrol entry point, sits around 1,322 pounds (600 kilograms) below the iX5 60, the fully electric flagship. That spread — equivalent to adding a well-loaded grand piano to the car — is the central engineering problem BMW had to solve before any of the powertrain choices made sense. And based on our test drive, they seem to have succeeded in making it drive lighter than what it says on paper.
To put the numbers in context: the outgoing G05 X5 xDrive40i weighed around 4,998 lbs (2,267 kg), while the G05 xDrive50e PHEV came in at 5,573 lbs (2,527 kg). The new G65 X5 50e also adds roughly 600 pounds (272 kg) over the G65 40 xDrive.
One Chassis, Five powertrains, A 600 kg Problem To Solve
To handle that spread across five powertrains sharing the same body, suspension pickup points, and chassis geometry, BMW rebuilt the rear suspension architecture. The spring and damper mounts — combined in a single unit on the outgoing G05 X5 — are now separate, with the dampers pushed further outward for better roll control and larger progressive springs fitted to handle the load range more effectively. Helping it all work together is BMW’s new Heart of Joy chassis management system, carried over from the Neue Klasse platform, which processes steering, damping, torque distribution, and brake regen inputs ten times faster than the outgoing system.
Early drives suggest both the 50e and the iX5 60e do a reasonable job of masking the additional mass each carries, though neither eliminates it entirely. The 40 xDrive is the sharpest of the five, as it should be — its B58 inline-six produces 400 hp with 48V mild-hybrid assistance, body control is better than the G05 managed, and rear-axle steering makes the size feel more manageable in tighter situations. The iX5 60, at 578 hp and carrying the most weight of any X5 ever built, leans hardest on the Heart of Joy system to stay composed — and on the South Carolina roads, it mostly does.
BMW has not confirmed on-sale timing for the G65 X5. The official reveal is scheduled for the end of June, with full production-spec drives expected later this year.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
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