27 years of tradition, gone in one slide — BMW quietly buries the X5 we knew
The split tailgate that defined the X5 since 1999 is gone. BMW dropped the bombshell at a closed dealer meeting in Nashville. Here's what else is changing.
BMW has buried one of the X5’s most recognizable features — and did it quietly, at a closed dealer presentation in Nashville. According to Carscoops, the new X5 is heading into the Neue Klasse era and losing its split tailgate — the very calling card that has defined the SUV since the original E53 back in 1999. Twenty-seven years — and now, the curtain call. The current model’s tailgate splits into upper and lower sections, handy for loading, handy for tailgate picnics. The next generation gets a plain, one-piece lid. A sacrifice on the altar of cost-cutting? Sure looks that way.
The exterior is changing dramatically. Tiny illuminated kidney grilles, new headlights with X-shaped daytime running lights, slim taillights — the face clearly belongs to BMW’s new era. The bumper has been reworked too, with body-colored panels sitting next to black inserts. One dealer in the room dropped an intriguing detail: the new X5 actually looks a touch more compact than today’s car. No split tailgate, slimmer proportions. Feel that? The X5 is slowly stepping away from being the X5.
Dealers also got a look at the new BMW X7. The silhouette is more wagon-like, the styling bolder — the flagship clearly refuses to fade into the background. And the cherry on top — Alpina. The brand is prepping refreshed US-market versions based on the 7-Series and X7. Mark this moment: it may well be the last hurrah of combustion-era luxury before Neue Klasse takes over for good.