Is The All-new 2019 BMW X5 The Ultimate EVOLUTION Machine? Could BMW Have Done MORE?

I'm sure it's like the 7 Series and the 5 Series before it. They are nicely updated cars that deserved new styling to announce the newness and advancement. The irony of the current BMWs is that they are lifeless and not engaging (with the exception of the styling break out of the X2) to look at.

Not broken, don't fix it. Going in a new styling direction seems idiotic when they are selling well and have no need to take that risk.

Leave that to failed vehicles like every Acura sedan and the K900 who have no choice.

Evolutionary change has proven itself with several successful manufacturers. Every new Wrangler and 911 carefully push forward and consequently the resale market is not crushed with depreciation of the previous design. There's a certain humble dignity to this approach that takes some of the "showiness" out of acquiring a new car which some people appreciate. IMHO this is an attractive evolution of a great vehicle. If the X7 is too ugly I'll be buying my 4th X5.

That's OK if sales remain strong, but BMW has been staggering under a sales decline for two years.

Thank you, Matt!

No guarantees that a styling change will suddenly increase sales; it may have the opposite effect.

I keep picturing Bangle in a board meeting arguing for the new and innovative look of the Multiplas.

There's no guarantees in life.

When Audi has the best IP in the game, Tesla has captured buyer's attention with Falcon doors and a huge ass screen in the center stack, you have to make a move.

BMW is just sitting and playing it safe. And, Mercedes is at least doing design that's different and it's propelling it as the "hot" brand right now. BMW has cooled off in a BIG way.

That's the point here...

Sorry Agent OOR - but there is ONE guarantee - DEATH.

The problem remains - BMW is suffering from its "Ultimate Driving Machine" title they gave themselves. The problem is - at least one part of being a PREMIUM brand is exclusivity. WHen a car - in this case the 3 series - sells in the volumes it needs to to lead the world - it loses exclusivity - and it also becomes the target for all the wanna-be's. Eventually - everyone has had their 3 series - the 3 series itself failed to keep pace - as a result - other brands have a chance of taking the title away - and they did.

Still - BMW is real premium product - and it will sell based on that to a lot of people. That they - like Audi - do not want to make a major change in their look - is a problem eventually every "look" grows stale. THe Arts and Science Cadillac look has had its day and should have been gone long ago for example.

I'm an admirer of BMW. I've owned 4 of them, but the post-Bangle designs have left me cold. It's not that I loved the Bangle designs so much. Some designs were better than others. 1 and 3 series were better than 5 and 7 IMO, but the new designs just lack anything to make them stand out in a crowd. Their styling has gone from baroque to rococo with the fake air vents, and gratuitous tack-ons (chrome hockey sticks on the 7 anyone?) and the chrome laden hexagon-happy interiors. The puffed out kidney grill of the 5 with the cheap black plastic filler bit for the front camera is just ugly. The new designers seem to hate the twin kidney grill motif and have given us the X2 with it's odd shaped grill and now the X5 with a single piece kidney grill. The hideous grill of the X7 awaits in the wings.

I believe that Audi And BMW Design Departments Have The Same Employees. Same Stuff, Different Brand.

It's easy to say what BMW ought to do when you don't have any skin in the game.

In recent years I've loved some of their more innovative designs (like the new Z4), and HATED others (BMW Zagato coupe, the new X7, etc.). Given that, I'd frankly prefer they play it closer to the vest rather than do something wacko.

How is the Z4 in ANY way innovative?

Innovative in that it looks different (at least based on the concepts) than most of the rest of their range.

Do you find the X2 "innovative" for the same reason?

Apparently the patent images have been released of the Z4 and it's so dumbed down and dulled from the concept as to be laughable.

I agree, they've played it safe here. Not so much on exterior design. There's only so much design change you can make unless you're taking the whole line in a new direction, BUT it's the interiors that just are a big nothing. In fact some of the prior design features used in the cabin were nicer than what we see today. Thank goodness they did make a change in the center stack. However it's still a big nothing burger when you look at what's coming in the GLE and GLS. The S class exudes elegance. The 7 series meh. I have a new 7. It's my LAST 7 EVER unless they bring back the SWB to the US market. Still available in every other market including Canada (just another STUPID decision from BMW NA) but I digress. The new E class interior, the S class interior, even the C class interiors are all much more upscale than ANY BMW. The 7 sales have fallen off a cliff, the new E vs 5 series... C vs 3. I don't understand Munich. It's unbelievable. Look at Jag & Volvo. Now the new GLE GLS will each have corresponding dashboards and interiors to the sedans. BMW is going to pay big this time. I think in the next few years it's going to be painful. The mid term 7 redo is not a minor adjustment. They know how bad it is. Look for a HUGE redo outside. Big design changes already planned. I pray they upgrade the dashboard too. Such big work for a mid term!?! Unfortunatley even the new 8 series which new dash looks really nice unfortunatley doesn't hold up vs the new AMG GT interior 2 and 4 door. $140k to spend? Which way does your money go? BMW is starting to stand for stubborn. They are NOT getting it. How bad do sales need to be? New * series will be disappointment VS AMG GT. Mark my words.

Totally agree about the SWB 7. The proportions of the LWB are just awful. When I see one on the road I always wonder if the driver is the owner or the chauffeur. The back door line reminds me a stretched Lincoln. Another pet peeve is that getting a 6-cylinder in the X3 requires you buy a model with boy-racer cladding and blacked out trim. Maybe I would like to have the 6-cylinder and the X-line trim. That's kept me from even looking at an X3. And speaking of boy-racer cladding, the rocker panels on the new X5 will really make getting in and out awkward. Form over function.

Wow, you crushed it, @Beemerguyb7!

You, my friend, get it.

"...If you can't afford a Land Rover Range Rover and you want to slide into something that'll get the job done"

You mean like be fairly reliable?

BMW's sales decline in the U.S. has been swift and driven by a brand that is resting on its "Ultimate Driving Machine" laurels but delivering vehicles that no longer live up to its slogan. In addition to that, BMW's interiors have stayed largely the same while competitors continue to innovate with new design themes like Audi's all-touch screen design and Virtual Cockpit.

competitors continue to innovate with new design themes like Audi's all-touch screen design and Virtual Cockpit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dude, as has been explained here several times, old guys wants switches and knobs.

Apparently the patent images have been released of the Z4 and it's so dumbed down and dulled from the concept as to be laughable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Got a link?

OK, I finally saw the X-line version on another site. Wow, is it fugly. Until now, I thought the X5 was one of BMW's best looking vehicles. No more. The new designers can't help themselves. It looks like it was partially beaten with the Lexus ugly stick. Maybe it'll look better in person.