Believe it or not, six years have passed since BMW introduced the second iteration of its X5 crossover, which means its replacement is not far away. In fact, if BMW keeps in line with its usual product cycle, we should see the third generation of the X5 arriving sometime as early as next year.
In the meantime, our eagle-eyed spies captured an actual prototype of the next X5, codenamed F15, while returning from testing in Germany.
The new generation of the mid-size crossover looks like it will keep the current model’s silhouette adding a new face that will no doubt be inspired from BMW’s latest offerings, along with a fresh styling for the rear end.
There are no photos of the interior (yet) but as usual, the cabin will utilize BMW’s most recent design elements.
The new X5 is expected to ride on a heavily revised version of the 5-Series sedan’s platform architecture while BMW’s engineers will focus on reducing the crossover model’s weight through the use of lighter materials.
It’s still early to know specific details about the engine lineup, but it’s a safe bet to say that the new X5 will be offered with a similar range to the current model including straight-six turbocharged petrols and diesels, a force-fed V8 petrol for the xDrive50i, while the X5M and an Active Hybrid model will also be added later on.
BMW is also working on more powerful diesel model that will be marketed under its M Performance subrand that slots between the regular and M-badged vehicles, more details of which will be announced at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
Photo credits: CarPix
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