40d xDrive

STORY

The BMW X5 changed what a BMW could be. Launched in 1999 as the E53, it was BMW's first SUV, but the company refused to call it one. It coined the term "Sports Activity Vehicle" to show that the car drove like a BMW, not a truck. It was developed while BMW owned Land Rover, and it took off-road know-how from it, but on-road handling came first.

The gamble paid off hugely. The X5 helped establish the premium performance-SUV segment and became one of BMW's best-sellers. It started a whole X family, the X3, X6, X1 and more, which now accounts for a large share of the company's sales.