BMW X5 Delivers What Consumers Want
22 September 1999
BMW X5 Delivers What Consumers Want; Strategic Vision Research Hearkens Growth of New Category WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Sept. 21 -- According to a Strategic
Vision research study, luxury SUV buyers are less satisfied with their
vehicles than luxury sedan owners and are looking for more car-like attributes
such as better handling, styling, comfort/luxury, convenience, quietness and
interior craftsmanship. Additionally, when queried about how they felt their
vehicles delivered on an emotional level, again luxury SUV buyers reported
their vehicles were lacking. The 2000 BMW X5, arriving in showrooms late this
Fall, addresses the concerns identified in this study.
"We created the X5 to give customers the best of both worlds," stated BMW
Chairman and CEO Tom Purves. "With the X5, BMW has given birth to a new
category, the Sports Activity Vehicle. The X5 combines legendary BMW
performance, styling, luxury and technology with the roominess and versatility
of a traditional SUV. Above all, the X5 is nimble and quick, a joy to drive.
A true BMW."
What Luxury SUV Owners Want and What the BMW X5 Delivers
-- HANDLING -- Unlike SUVs, which largely drive like trucks, the BMW X5
drives like a BMW sedan. The X5 features BMW's new all-wheel-drive Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC-X) which offers exceptional handling, stability and
traction control under virtually all conditions. BMWs award-winning, high-
performance driveability and rideability are inherent characteristics of the
X5.
-- STYLE -- The X5 is a combination of sleek, elegant, supple lines with a
muscular overall appeal. With a wide variety of interior and exterior colors,
options and packages, the buyer will be able to customize the design to
reflect his or her own personal style.
-- COMFORT -- The X5 sets the very highest standards for luxury-
performance vehicles. The first class quality of materials -- glove-soft
leather, polished poplar wood trim -- have been beautifully crafted by BMW
artisans. Ergonomics were applied to every aspect of the design from the
seats to the layout of the controls on the dashboard.
-- CONVENIENCE -- Parking, particularly in tight multi-story garages, is
easy in an X5 due to excellent steering and its size. Roomy on the inside,
relatively compact on the outside, its size and shape together with
well-designed folding seats and a drop-down tailgate make it easy to load and
flexible to use in a variety of situations.
-- POWER -- With a standard 282-horsepower, 4.4-liter V8 engine, the X5
has ample acceleration for everything from passing slower vehicles, towing,
merging onto highways to just enjoying an exhilarating driving experience.
The low-maintenance features of the aluminum V8 mean that all this power is
available without a need for constant attention. Its low emission levels have
earned the X5 certification as a Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV).
-- SECURITY -- Loaded with BMW safety technologies, the X5 features the
same Head Protection System which caused the 5-series to be named "Safe Car
of the Millennium" by the International Brain Injury Association. Hill
Descent Control technology helps insure a constant speed descent on steep
slopes. All-Season-Traction (AST) greatly enhances stability and traction on
all road surfaces. Dynamic Brake Control increases braking pressure during an
emergency stop.
-- QUIETNESS -- Like BMW sedans, the X5 has been thoroughly tested in BMWs
state-of-the art aero-acoustic wind and sound tunnel which allows noise
sources to be identified and eliminated. According to Albert Kaltenhauser who
is in charge of the wind tunnel, "Minimizing or eliminating unwanted noise is
an important aspect of active safety. It leaves the driver more relaxed, more
focused on the road. Certain low sounds, for example, can make you tired."
The X5 Sports Activity Vehicle will be built exclusively at the BMW
manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina entered the North American
market in 1975. Since then, the company has grown to include marketing, sales
and financial services organizations in the United States and Canada; a South
Carolina manufacturing operation; a design firm in California; and various
other operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. BMW is represented in North
America through a network of more than 375 automobile and 190 motorcycle
retailers in the United States and Canada. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the
marque's North American headquarters is located in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.
Information about BMW products and programs is available via the World Wide
Web. The address is: http://www.bmwusa.com.
