SIZE MATTERS; BMW's new X5 is bigger and better.(News)

Byline: WES RAYNAL

"Don't think of it as a truck, think of it as a performance machine.'' Those are the words of BMW North America boss Tom Purves, and the car he was talking about is BMW's new X5. And by the way, adds Purves, don't call the new X5 a sport/utility vehicle, either. It's a sport/activity vehicle.

Whatever Purves wants it called, this X5 is significantly different from the outgoing model, which stayed in the market essentially unchanged for a whopping seven years. The latest X5 might not look all-new at first glance, but park a new one next to the old one, and you'll see the new car is longer and wider. Specifically, the wheelbase is up 4.5 inches to 115.5, the total length has grown 7.4 inches to 191.1, while the center of gravity has been lowered slightly. Chassis stiffness is up 15 percent. The end result is a new X5 that drives more like a BMW, offering a better compromise between comfort and handling. Those who felt the old car's ride was too stiff and the overall feeling too high-effort or trucky will like the changes.

BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has been and will remain the one source for all X5s sold globally. The area surrounding the plant is where we spent a day trying out the new X5.

Two engines are available, both mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed manual previously available with the six-cylinder engine has been dropped. The aluminum 4.8-liter V8 produces 350 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, while the 3.0-liter inline-six produces 260 hp and 225 lb-ft. BMW says the I6 will power the car to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds and claims 6.4 seconds to 60 mph for the V8. The company figures a 50-50 split between V8 and six-cylinder sales.

BMW had only the V8-powered models available for driving, as the first preproduction batch ...