<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" Miami\u2014BMW has finally given its X5 a proper facelift, and with it, a slew of new powerplants that manage to give the meaty SUV an entirely new feel. For the first time, the vehicle will get its power from the same potent engines found in the company&amp;#039;s X6, and that means more power and fuel efficiency for the smallish off-roader. Buyers also get treated to a new eight-speed transmission and a few other mechanical tweaks that help set the 2011 model apart from its aging predecessors.  Along with the running gear, BMW has bolted on some new bodywork. Larger, more aggressive air intakes dominate the front fascia, and some of the patches of bland plastic are now dipped in matching body color. We wouldn&amp;#039;t expect the casual passerby to notice the difference, but current X5 owners and hardcore BMW fans alike will be able to pick between the 2010 and 2011 models with ease. The Specs The base X5 xDrive35i now benefits from a (single) turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder. The direct-injection engine produces 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and the result is an SUV that feels both fast and confident\u2014something unexpected in a vehicle with a seating position this high off the ground.  The X5 xDrive50i has also been blessed with the same direct-injection, twin-turbocharged V8 found in the X6, though we didn&amp;#039;t get any seat time in the big-boy version. The 4.4-liter engine produces 407 hp at 6400 rpm, while the full 442 lb-ft of torque comes on at a much lower 4500 rpm. As fast as the X5 xDrive35i felt, an additional 101 hp under the hood would certainly make things faster. For oil-burning fans, last year&amp;#039;s twin-turbo diesel, with over 400 lb-ft of torque, returns in the new car.  Part of that sureness-of-oomph comes from the new eight-speed automatic transmission. The gearbox neither hunts for gears nor leaves you wondering when the next shift is coming, adding to the unexpectedly eager feel of the X5. It also does quite a bit to improve fuel economy. Between the new engines and that stellar gearbox, the company claims that 2011 models should see 10 percent better fuel economy than the outgoing models. So far, the EPA has yet to render a verdict on the matter, so for now we&amp;#039;ll have to take the automaker&amp;#039;s word for it. &amp;amp;gt; The Drive BMW has also dropped in new Active Steering and Active Drive systems, which play with the vehicle&amp;#039;s electronic dampers and steering ratio to give the high-riding SUV a more stable feel. As a result of the electronic wizardry going on behind the curtain, the X5 corners better and performs tight turns with surprising agility.  Our time with the X5 xDrive35i was spent in the flat expanse that is Florida, so we can&amp;#039;t really tell you how well the new BMW handles in anything other than right-angle intersections and flat four-lane roads. That&amp;#039;s just fine, though, because even in the coma that results from driving in the Sunshine State, the effort BMW put into refreshing the X5 comes to light. The truck feels much more cohesive, and for the first time, the engine, transmission and all-wheel drive system work seamlessly.  Thanks to the quick-spooling single turbocharger, the power comes on low in the rpm band and stays on all the way to redline. Lag is kept to a minimum, always giving the driver power on tap. While we couldn&amp;#039;t find fault with the old six-speed gearbox, the new eight-speed unit delivers bliss from the powerful inline Six. The engine always seems to be operating in a sweet spot, neither burdened nor screaming (unless you&amp;#039;re purposefully hammering the throttle), and the shifts are so smooth in stop-and-go traffic that you don&amp;#039;t notice them unless you&amp;#039;re hunting. The fact that the eight-speed helps out in the fuel-economy department is a big plus.  The Bottom Line BMW banishes the notion that the X5 is getting long in the tooth. In an era of ever-tighter fuel-economy regulations and emissions standards, BMW managed to squeeze even more power out of an already capable platform. Coupled with the new Active Steering and Active Drive systems, the SUV drives like it has completely new bones. When it arrives in showrooms later this year, the X5 xDrive50i is expected to cost close to $59,000, while the X5 xDrive35i will come in around $46,600. While we&amp;#039;d welcome more aggressive styling (this is an SUV, after all), buyers in the market for a large and potent luxury conveyance will no doubt find the 2011 BMW X5 worth more than a passing glance. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/a5681/2011-bmw-x5-test-drive/>