BMX X5 Celebrates 25 Years from SUV to SAV

25 Years of BMW X5: The Gaycarboys Reflect on the SAV Pioneer

Pop the champagne and raise a toast, because BMW’s X5 is celebrating 25 fabulous years in the spotlight! Back in 1999, BMW introduced a car that would forever change how we see SUVs—scratch that—Sports Activity Vehicles (SAVs). FYI, SAV is such a silly term and one only carmakers use. Why? It was an attempt legitimise the “sort roader” – making it a pucker vehicle type. A SAV is something you batter and deep fry, right?

Enter Chris Bangle’s BMW X5, the car that was too posh to be called an SUV but rugged enough to make you feel like Bear Grylls on the school run. Bangle went on to reshape BMW’s range, for better or for worse.

Since its debut, the X5 has sold more than three million units worldwide, with 75,000 of those cruising local boulevards. As Australia’s second-best-selling BMW, trailing only behind the unbiquitous 3 Series, the X5 has earned its stripes as a favourite among luxury car buyers—both the gay and the not-so-gay alike.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Car Review – 22024 Fiat 500 E Review – An UNDER RATED ITALIAN BEAUTY

#fiat, #stellantis, #fiat500ereview, #gayfiat, #alanzurvas, #gaycarboys

ABOVE: 25 years of BMW X5

Some at GayCarBoys always had a soft spot for the X5. It’s the subtle blend of the chic, the luxurious interiors, and the sporty. Unlike ladder-chassis behemoths, X5’s drive experience doesn’t make you feel like you’re wrestling a tank down the M5. It’s as comfortable towing a jet ski for a weekend’s fun in the Pacific as it is cruising through Darlinghurst with the boys. The X5 manages to make even the most mundane trips feel like an adventure in style, according to its adoring owners.

The X5, currently in its fourth generation, continues to evolve while keeping its signature flare intact. Over the years, BMW has tweaked, enhanced, and expanded the model, from its iconic kidney grille to the introduction of futuristic driver tech. Remember when the iDrive system first popped up in 2007? It felt like something from The Jetsons but felt strange as those unfamiliar tried to grapple with its intracies. Now, a similar system is found in most cars.

The current X5 comes with BMW’s Operating System 8, semi-autonomous driving tech, and enough screens to make your iPad jealous. There’s even a hybrid version if you’re feeling green (in the environmental sense, not envy).

Of course, it’s not all about the glamour. Buyers love the X5 for its practicality, and with a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, it’s the kind of car that makes no compromises—whether you’re hauling furniture or heading out for a country escape with your partner. And let’s not forget that plug-in hybrid option, for when you want to be eco-conscious without sacrificing any of that luxurious BMW magic.

As GayCarBoys look back over the years, we can’t help but appreciate the X5’s evolution—from its early days as a monocoque chassis game-changer to the tech-laden, mild-hybrid machine it is today. Whether it’s Max using his X5 for family trips to his vineyard or Casper recalling the thrills of driving the X5 M back in the day, the X5 has made its mark on all of us.

Now, with whispers of a fuel cell electric X5 arriving in 2028, it’s clear that BMW isn’t done innovating. The X5 remains the belle of the ball in the luxury SUV world, and frankly, we can’t wait to see what they do next.

Happy 25th, X5! You don’t look a day over 21.

For more fabulous insights, stay tuned to GayCarBoys.

Other GayCarBoys BMW Stories