STIG

BMWs are getting boring and new lexuses are getting crazier. What is going on?

had a fully loaded E70 4.8, and I remembered when it was debuted back in 2007, it was a thing of beauty.

Carmaker1

I am quite shocked to see this already, as I expected not to see anything until the 2nd quarter of this year. It seems like some of the renders I saw last year were 100% spot on, even though heavily clad in disguise material. I despise the taillights, but other than that it looks decent. Production should begin in August and sales this fall.

Not entirely true, as the E83 X3 of 2003 was the first BMW "X" model to utilize the first iteration of the BMW styling language instituted by Chris Bangle in the late 1990s. The E70 was the last model to do so in 2006 and the E83 X3 was even seen as a preview of the E70's styling cues back in 2003-05. The X5 and 3-Series have always been transitional models for BMW's styling language, so they mix and match the past and future of BMW design. The E53 X5 was also rather transitional and ended being the last non-"Bangleized" BMW until the E65 7er of 2001. The current F25 X3 may take from the taillights of the E70 X5, but the X3 seems to have a pattern of previewing the styling of subsequent X5s.

CDNROCKIES

Your timeline makes zero sense?

The E53 X5 came out long before the X3 in 2003, back in 1999. How could the X3 possibly "preview" the X5 when it was the follow up model?

The E70 X5 debuted in very late 2006 as a 2007 model. The E83 X3 looks nothing like the E70 X5. It wasn't until the new F25 X3 debuted in late 2010 as an '11 model that the X3 followed the design language of the E70. There is more E53 in the E83 than E83 in the E70.

Also, the lights on the X3 were not taken from the E70 X5. The tail lights are directly from the F10 and F01 that came out prior to the F25 and are BMW's new style. It is no surprise that the new F15 X5 will get the same lights, but it has nothing to do with the X3.

LexFather

Safe and will sell. I think the current X5 is one of the best looking SUVs out there. This....not a fan of headlights meeting the grill.

Carmaker1

I have no idea why you're referring to that, as I never stated that the X3 "previewed" the E53 X5. I stated that the E53 X5 was it's own design and couldn't have been influenced by the E83 X3. It's design was set by February 1997 and it was also the last BMW that didn't fully utilize the newer styling language inaugurated by Bangle later that year. That of course showed up in the E65 7er in 2001. The same year the X3 was actually signed off on, which was of course two years after the X5 debuted.

In 2003, it was also the first BMW X model to get the new styling theme, so it's a bridge between both X5 generations(E53-E70). The E70 was designed by early 2004, so between 2001 and 2004 certain characteristics would've made their to way from the X3 to X5. The E70 and LCI E83 do have similarities, which clearly don't show between LCI E53 nor the original X5. The LCI E83 is much closer to the E70, except for the taillights, as that is one design cue that also makes the X5 transitional like the 3er. It was the first BMW model to utilize such taillights in 2006, as prior to that, no BMWs had such strips through taillights, except the LCI E65 7er to a smaller degree. The F01 7er and F10 5er weren't the first to do so, the E70 was. The shapes don't mean anything, when the F10 doesn't have any strips and the one on the 7er is different.






Just as the E46 3er was first to use scalloped headlights, that previewed the 1999-2002 BMW range, and also the E36 to use boxy styling with rounded edges, as against the boxy E32 & E34 that became fully rounded on the E38 & E39. BMW interestingly lets signature design cues spillover between various facelifts and redesigns. Something tells me the LCI F25 will more strongly resemble a smaller version of the new X5. Concerning BMW design, the 7er is the model that revolutionizes everything, while the X5 and 3er models bring new cues like scalloped headlamps, darkened taillights(LCI E70), or connecting headlights to the grille(see the BMW F30-F36 range & now the F15 X5). I can see what do you mean about the X3 taking inspiration from the X5, but that's only because it comes between two different generations of it.

TangoRed

Just a note- the LCI E39 had the straight strips through the tail lights first. The weird 3D shaped strip came out on the F01 7-series.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

Not bad I like it, wanna see the real truck and the interior already.

Carmaker1

I actually meant the white/chrome strip, but I see what you mean as the LCI E39 did have brake lights in that format.

92 SC400

Looks OK, we'll have to wait to see it in person. My wife is getting anxious because if she doesn't like this new one, we may have to purchase whatever will be left in the late summer!

Outrage

Well, it looks like every other BMW...

LexFather

Wow the MDX and this don't look much different in pics outside of bigger headlights. Very safe, can't blame them. I wonder will the room in the back be better. The current X5 is one of my fav SUVs.

mmarshall

Brown is generally considered an "Earth" tone (like some shades of green) and is becoming popular with environmentalists......or, at least, that is the line we are hearing from the auto companies that use it.