SA Roadtests
South Africa
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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you can get at home.
*To read one of our archived road tests, just select from the alphabetical menu of manufacturers' names on the left. Hover your cursor over the manufacturer's name, then choose from the drop-down menu that appears.
*Please remember too, that prices quoted were those ruling on the days I wrote the reports.
Posted: 1 June 2014
Since I reviewed a second-generation, E70, BMW X5 almost five years ago, things have moved on somewhat. The model has entered a third generation called F15 with the 4.8-litre, petrol-fuelled and naturally aspirated V8 making way for a 4.4-litre, twin-turbo monster putting out an added 69 kW of power and 175 Nm more torque. The gearbox is now an eight-speed Sport automatic.
The N63B44 engine is a DOHC 4395 cc, 90-degree, 32-valve V8 with variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust (Double Vanos) and variable valve lift (Valvetronic). Exhaust and inlet valves have swapped sides from common V8 practice with the exhausts on the inside of the V and the intake manifolds outside. This creates a more compact and narrower engine package with shorter distances between exhaust manifolds and turbochargers. It uses air-to-water intercoolers. These are more efficient and provide a shorter air path than the usual air-to-air variety.
As we all know by now, a bog-standard, no-frills Beemer is probably as scarce as dentures for a Rhode Island Red or a chromed radiator cap for a 1965 BMW Boxer Twin. Every new buyer fits options, packs and styling accessories, so it’s doubtful whether the theoretical “standard” car is ever seen anywhere.
In the spirit of BMW-ness therefore, our test rig had a few bits and pieces added (in no particular order of sexiness or price): Apart from an M Sport package with adaptive sport suspension, anthracite roof lining, individual high-gloss shadow line with roof rails, door sill finishers with M designation, special trim, an M steering wheel, M aerodynamics package, a special key fob and sports seats in front, extra kit comprised BMW Night vision; adaptive LED head lights; double-spoke 469M 20” wheels with mixed tyres - 275/40 in front and 315/35 rears; the extended light package; high beam assist; lane change warning; Active Protection; Driving Assist Plus; surround view cameras and an upmarket Bang and Olufsen surround-sound system with 1200-Watt amplifier and 16 speakers.
A professional version of the navigation system entered the mix somewhere as part of a package, but the price list is really too confusing for a mere journalist to figure out how it got in. Let’s just say that extras added R170 250 to the base price.
Having dealt with a few of the available add-ons, let’s spend some quality time on original equipment. Six airbags, ISOFix anchorages, a full suite of electronic safety gear, runflat tyres with pump kit and monitoring, electric window winders and mirrors, front and rear fog lights, hill descent control, electro-mechanical hand brake, 40:20:40-split backrests in the rear, powered tail gate, central locking without proximity feature (that costs extra), cruise control with braking function, iDrive with 10.25” display, X-Drive intelligent awd, a sun roof and an onboard computer are the highlights.
Being a BMW, equipment, fit and finish is outstanding although my other half and I had some reservations about rear seat comfort and general dynamics. She took a short trip in the back and declared the seats hard, rather uncomfortable and probably not where she would like to be for long. On the positive side, head- and knee room is generous, sunscreens are provided for the side windows and there’s a full set of air conditioning controls with vents at the rear of the console and in the door pillars. A pair of 12-Volt sockets permits charging of equipment or powering of optional entertainment kit, while a flat floor makes entry and exit easy enough provided your passengers’ legs are sufficiently long to reach the ground easily.
For my part, the car felt top-heavy and not quite as stable as something costing a million bucks-plus should be. Add the awesome power and neck-snapping throttle response of the big V8, and I was actually a little scared. I reckoned that the 428i, in which we had just spent a week, would be a more suitable framework for this engine.
Loading of luggage is easy because once the tail gate has been lifted remotely and the lower flap dropped down, a flat loading deck enables you to simply slide your stuff in and out. Four lashing rings, two lights and a power socket are there for convenience. Further, the loading volume is greater than the E70’s; an added 30 litres with seatbacks up and 120 more with them flat. Want more? How about the load floor hinging up on gas struts to reveal a big well underneath, where the spare used to be? The tools and tyre pump occupy a separate compartment while the first aid kit is behind a clip-off panel on the left wall of the load space.
As for the rest of this car’s features and options, it’s a computer nerd’s dream but there’s simply too much to tell without making your eyes glaze over with boredom. Get yourself over to your country’s BMW website and spend a day clicking on headlines. My personal feeling is that it’s a wonderful car but with possibly too much power for its chassis. I would be happier with less.
Test car from BMWSA press fleet
The numbers
Basic price including CO2 tax: R1 051 517-20
Price as driven: R1 221 767-20
Engine: 4395 cc, DOHC, 32-valve, 90-degree V8 with twin turbochargers
Power: 330 kW between 5500 and 6000 rpm
Torque: 650 Nm between 2000 and 4500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 5,0 seconds
Maximum speed: 250 km/h (governed)
Real life fuel consumption: About 14,1 l/100 km
Tank: 85 litres
Luggage: 650 – 1870 litres
Motorplan: 5 years/100 000 km
This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.
Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8