BMW's X5 is already over the hill

A white M50d parked next to the xDrive 30d at Cameron Reserve in the middle of the Kaweka Forest on the Napier-Taihape highway.

It's not often you get told to reverse a $174,000 worth of motor vehicle off a precipice. But I was and I did as I was told.

It was all part of the launch of BMW's new X5 and happened on farmland at Raurimu north of National Park last week.

The trip down the ridiculously steep incline, first head-first then bum-first, was showing off the hill descent control capability of the new X5 - BMW prefers to call it a "sports activity vehicle" - and also a means of BMW showing that while carrying a luxury tag in every respect, this all-wheel drive vehicle was able to roll its sleeves up and get into it.

I doubt any future owner of either the X5 M50d - the dearer one - or the $129,000 X5 xDrive30d, will be doing anything as robust or dare-devilish, but the point is the X5 can do it.

And that seems to be BMW's mantra. How else would you explain that the six-cylinder triple turbo-charged diesel powering the M50d not only thumps out 280kW but also delivers a ridiculous 720 Newton metres of torque. When asked what was the rationale behind such extraordinary numbers, BMW engineers said one reason was it's just because they can. But really it's about having the ability to tow an awful lot.

It's useful to have that capacity if you're towing something, they say, like a boat. But with these numbers you could tow a stricken Cook Strait ferry to a safe haven.

This is the third generation X5 and it's fair to say that vehicle has come a long way since the E53 was launched here in 2000. The newcomer hangs on to the concept of a vehicle that has lost none of its on-road capability while holding true to the idea of being a more than able off-roader.

A drive from Napier to Raurimu over the Napier-Taihape road gave ample room for the X5 to handle a variety of conditions and it took everything in its stride.

From the outside here have been some significant changes, most prominently the melding of the grille and front headlight assembly. And air ducts in front the of front wheel arches vary from model to model but play their part in improving aerodynamics.

The seven-seat configuration introduced in the second generation X5 has been carried over in other new models, codenamed the F15.

The new X5 is a little longer and not as tall as its predecessor but still shares the same long wheelbase and wide track. Inside there's a marked change to the centre dashboard display screen, home the iDrive information and sat-nav system. It's now 10.25-inches wide and that's big. Seating is typically one of the pleasures of driving and riding in a BMW, and the X5 delivers with seats that offer a commanding view and maximum comfort and finish.

They have also included comfort seats in the back which lets them be moved forward or aft which helps for those getting into the third seat row. The ambient lighting has been modified so the driver can set to three different colours to suit the mood.

The luggage space has grown to 650 litres (with the back seat in use) and ballooning to 1800 litres with the back folded.

In keeping with the "lines" first seen in the new 1 Series and 3 Series, the X5 offers interior and exterior packages, Pure Excellence and Pure Experience (along with M Sport). They simplify what has been, until now, a long list of options that complicated things for the buyer but the lost of options is still encylopaedic.

The X5 tips the scales. about 2100kg but shifting it around the place is a doddle given the engines that power the vehicles

The xDrive 30d and M50d get the same base 3-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel engine but they deliver markedly different performance figures.

The 30d engine puts together 190kW of power and an eye-catching 560Nm of torque and a 0-100kph time of 6.9 seconds.

But it's the engine configuration in the M50d engine that sets it apart.

BMW's engineers got carried away with this one, lining up three turbochargers, with two smaller variable turbochargers feeding a large one. We're talking truck-size turbo assist here and the results are astounding. The engine shifts the M50d from standstill to 100km/h in a fraction over 5 seconds assisted by the 280kW of power but more especially the 740Nm of torque.

If aural symphony from an engine is your bag, then wind the windows down and listen to this baby.

This is the sharp end of BMW's performance engines yet both motors do it sipping rather than slurping the diesel - the 30d using 6.2 litres per 100km of combined driving, and the M50d 6.7 litres. It means you can cover 1000km without visiting the pumps.

Both X5s manage that power via an eight-speed auto transmission which is new for the vehicle.

And both have got xDrive, a proactive management systems that understands when the car's safety and stability functions need to come into play before the X5 starts to get a little bit out of shape.

BMW says it's not about changing the laws of physics rather it's about pushing the boundaries out a little further.

It's the sort of physics we could quickly become very comfortable with.