The BMW X5 Silver Anniversary Celebrates 25 Years of American-Made SUVs

If the BMW X5 were a human, it could run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. BMW’s first SUV nameplate is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and it has been built in South Carolina since it was introduced for the 2000 model year amid high hopes of winning the hearts of American customers. Now in its fourth generation and the brand’s best seller, it would appear that it has achieved that goal.BMW dubbed the X5 an SAV or “Sports Activity Vehicle” to set it apart from more mainstream utility vehicles, and it is marking its quarter-century with a special X5 that is very much designed for activities. The X5 Silver Anniversary Edition is an off-road model with unique touches limited to 1,000 units, nearly all of which are already spoken for.It is based on the all-wheel-drive X5 xDrive40i and starts at $81,075, which represents a $10,000 premium over the regular model. Along with 25th anniversary badges, it features Lime Rock Grey paint from BMW’s premium Individual paint palette and black exterior trim.Power comes from a 375 hp 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine and the vehicle is equipped with a legitimate off-road package that includes an air suspension that can increase the ride height for additional ground clearance, steel skid plates to protect the chassis from rocks and an upgraded all-wheel-drive system. It also has a trailer hitch and a roof rack that is sturdy enough to support a storage box or tent.Commemorative plaques and badges are included with the Silver Anniversary Edition package. BMWIt is delivered from the factory with all-season tires, but the example that I recently tested was fitted with knobby all-terrain tires, which are a dealer-installed option. BMW knows that some customers might actually want to go on adventures with their X5 and not just play dress-up.Aside from a set of all-weather floor mats instead of carpeted ones, the interior is as fancy as any X5’s. More so, as it has authentic carbon fiber trim, sport seats and a 16-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system.At the risk of getting all of that dusty, I went on an off-road trip deep into the New Jersey Pine Barrens, where it is as rare to see an X5 as the Jersey Devil. The sandy trails are a big departure from the X5’s typical suburban ecosystem.The highway ride was pleasant and quiet. The chunky tires don’t add much noise and the visibility is better than many other SUVs. I also took the time to experiment with the X5’s very extensive voice control system, which goes far beyond adjusting the temperature and changing radio stations. Ask it to “open the rear passenger windows” and it will.The interior is full of luxury features. BMWArriving at the first dirt road, I switched to xSand mode, which adjusts the traction control and ride height to suit the surface. There are also selections for xSnow, xGravel and xRocks. The air suspension can be manually adjusted further to taste and provides a maximum of more than 10 inches of ground clearance in its highest setting.The air springs soaked up the bumps like sponges as the suspension’s computer-controlled shock absorbers kept the body under control. I didn’t try anything too extreme with it, but climbed across some uneven sections that would trip up a normal street vehicle and up sandy 20-degree slopes without any problems. The standard 360-degree camera with front-facing view was very helpful on the tight trails.You would have to go very much out of your way to exceed the X5’s off-pavement capabilities, to the point where you’d risk damaging it, but I’m sure that it can handle more than what 99% of owners will ever try to throw at it.My test vehicle also had another optional feature that’s available across the X5 lineup that can help drivers from running into things in a very different situation. It is a parking assist system that can memorize a route up to 50 meters long with several turns along the way and then retrace it while self-steering the vehicle in reverse. Picture pulling into a tight alley or long driveway with nowhere to turn around at the end. It works very well and even off-pavement, as long as the surface isn’t too slippery or rough.I can only imagine what the X5 will be able to do when it turns 50.

The BMW X5 Silver Anniversary Celebrates 25 Years of American-Made SUVs

The BMW X5 Silver Anniversary Celebrates 25 Years of American-Made SUVs

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