Expanding BMW SUV line-up slides below $100k

BMW has opened the SUV floodgates, revealing pricing and specification for a wide variety of new X5 and X7 variants, including a new four-pot diesel X5 that sneaks in under the $100,000 mark.

As it stands, the X5 range is a six-cylinder-only affair with 30d and M50d looking after diesel customers, while the 40i is for those who prefer petrol propulsion. The incoming variants however, will add both four- and eight-cylinder energy to the large SUV line-up.

A new 25d will introduce a four-cylinder diesel to the range as well as a new, more accessible entry point with its $99,900 price tag. It packs a 170kW/450Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel under the bonnet, and can hit 100km/h from zero in 7.5sec. BMW has not yet released claimed fuel consumption figures.

It’s fitted as standard with 20-inch wheels and run-flat tyres, synthetic leather upholstery, keyless entry and go, heated front seats, a surround-view parking camera, head-up display and wireless smartphone charging.

For efficiency focused buyers there is also an X5 45e at $129,900, which teams the 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an 83kW electric motor for impressive combined outputs of 290kW/600Nm.

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The grunt enables the X5 45e to hit 100km/h in a hot-hatch busting 5.6s while the 24kWh battery pack allows for a real-world electric-only driving range of 60-65km, double that of the previous-generation X5 40e.

In addition to the features of the X5 25d, it adds the M Sport package as standard, adaptive air suspension, leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof and adaptive LED headlights.

For those who don’t need to stretch to the forthcoming X5 M – or simply don’t want to wait – the $151,900 X5 M50i uses a monstrous 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 producing 390kW/750Nm. This is the same engine used by the $272,900 M850i and propels the X5 to 100km/h in just 4.3sec.

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Its standard equipment is extensive, including 22-inch wheels, an M Performance exhaust, M Sport differential, bigger brakes, metallic paint, adaptive M suspension, rear-wheel steering, laser headlights, leather instrument panel, soft-close doors, heated cup holder, lumbar support, four-zone climate control and a 16-speaker Harmon Kardon surround-sound audio system.

The same engine is also being offered for the X7 as part of the SUV shake-up. An X7 M50i will set you back $171,900, though the seven-seater’s extra size slows the 100km/h sprint to a still-impressive 4.7sec.

BMW intends to continue its SUV onslaught, with the refreshed X1 and all-new X6 also due to land locally before 2019 is through, although the German giant has not yet detailed the treats destined for its small SUV and coupe-profiled X5 fraternal twin.