BMW is putting the finishing touches on the next-generation X5 ahead of its official reveal in the coming weeks. Although the prototypes are still camouflaged, the images shared by the Bavarian automaker reveal a substantial design change to the vehicle’s profile. The door handles are not where you’d expect them to be, as they’ve been integrated into the beltline.
We’ve seen this setup before on the Ford Mustang Mach-E, but the new X5 doubles down by adding those winglets for the rear doors as well. We’ll have to wait for the official reveal to learn the reasoning behind this decision, but a few possibilities come to mind. The Neue Klasse design language is all about reduction, and “hiding” the door handles gives the profile a cleaner look.
View Price on AmazonThere may also be aerodynamic benefits to the new layout, particularly for the first-ever iX5. Yes, BMW is making a fully electric X5, and it’ll have the largest battery pack of any model to wear the roundel, with a usable energy content of 141 kWh in Europe and 144 kWh in the United States. The small winglets could improve airflow, although pop-out door handles already offer aerodynamic advantages.
Although the 2027 X5 is the first series-production model to feature the new door-handle design, it’s not actually the first BMW to use it. Based on the M8 and converted into a two-door convertible with a manually removable targa top, the Skytop is the company’s first model to hide its door handles. It’ll be followed shortly by another special M8 spinoff, the Speedtop shooting brake. Neither model is a regular production car, as the Skytop is limited to 50 units and the Speedtop to 70.
Looking ahead, the next-generation X7, due in 2027, will also feature winglets that serve as electrically operated door handles. That’s not an assumption but a fact based on spy photos of prototypes already undergoing testing. We wouldn’t be surprised if the future X6, arriving in 2028, adopts the same layout to clean up the coupe-SUV’s silhouette further. Like the upcoming X5, the other two large X models will receive fully electric variants for the first time.
Source: motor1.com
