Facelifted 2023 BMW X5 and X6 revealed
New engines with mild-hybrid tech across the board for BMW’s heavily updated large SUV duoUPDATED 08/02/2023 3:20pm: BMW Australia has confirmed the new 2023 BMW X5 and X6 range will launch Down Under in the third quarter of the year with prices starting from $134,900 and $140,900 plus on-road costs respectively.
Those opening prices are for the xDrive 30d twins and mark an $8000 increase over the current versions, largely setting the tone for the rest of the range.
The petrol-powered XDrive 40i duo, meanwhile, will start from $138,900 (+$8000) and $144,900 (+$8000), whereas the solitary X5 xDrive 50e will retail from $149,900 – $10,000 more than the xDrive 45e it replaces.
At the top of the core X5/X6 range, the rebranded X5 M60i and X6 M60i will launch from $172,900 (+$8000) and $178,900 (+$8000) respectively.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 08/02/2023 2:00pm: BMW has ripped the covers off its comprehensively updated 2023 BMW X5 and X6 line-up, revealing a new series of styling, technology and mechanical upgrades, including the addition of four new powertrains for the large SUV wagon and ‘coupe’.
The most obvious styling changes to both models are the slimmer headlight clusters featuring arrow-shaped daytime running lights and indicators, tweaked bumpers and refreshed alloy wheel designs.
The chiselled exteriors are complemented by the expansive curved widescreen infotainment display as seen recently on other BMW models, comprising a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch multimedia screen powered by the latest eighth-generation BMW iDrive operating system.
Other key cabin updates include a new LED ambient light bar, revised centre console layout and a redesigned gear selector.
BMW Australia is yet to detail exactly what the local 2023 X5 and X6 ranges will look like in terms of variants, pricing and finer specification details – or when we’ll see the new models in local showrooms – but the global press materials made no mention of the entry-level sDrive 25d four-cylinder diesel variant.
Instead it seems the global range will now be opened by the uprated xDrive 30d powertrain, a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel straight-six developing 219kW/670Nm (+24kW/50Nm) with the help of a 48V mild-hybrid system integrated into the new eight-speed automatic transmission, both of which are utilised universally across the range.
BMW says the extra power and torque has been liberated primarily by new steel pistons, an optimised oil separation process and new common-rail direct injection system with solenoid valve injectors, yielding a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds.
Similar changes have been made to the 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-petrol engine powering the xDrive 40i variants, however, here the upgrades have focussed on the combustion process including gas exchange, valve control and injection and ignition systems.
The result – with the help of the same mild-hybrid system – is an extra 30kW/90Nm, which boosts total outputs to 280kW/540Nm and trims the 0-100km/h time down to 5.4sec.
But neither of these enhanced powerplants can hold a candle to the upgrades made to the X5’s singular plug-in hybrid system, which is so extensive it even carries a new designation.
Once dubbed the xDrive 45e, the electrified drivetrain has been completely overhauled with a new six-cylinder turbo-petrol internal combustion heart, equally-new electric motor and an enlarged 25.7kWh battery pack, which together gifts the new X5 xDrive 50e an all-electric driving range of up to 110km.
The new components unite for a combined 360kW/700Nm – an increase of 70kW/100Nm and a reduced 0-100km/h time of 4.8sec. Official combined fuel consumption is rated at just 0.8-1.1L/100km.
If sheer performance is more your thing and you don’t fancy waiting for the inevitable X5/X6 M facelift, the top-spec xDrive M60i variants – replacing the M50i twins – are good for 390kW/750Nm courtesy of their new twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8.
These outputs are actually the same as the current models’ but the engine itself has been derived from the latest-generation M unit powering the BMW XM hyper-SUV.
As alluded to by the inclusion of the familiar xDrive nomenclature, all of these drivetrains send power to all four wheels via BWM’s proprietary xDrive all-wheel drive system and feature variant-specific chassis revisions to enhance their composure and dynamism.
All 2023 X5s and X6s ship as standard with adaptive suspension and revised anti-roll bars, but the M-badged twins up the ante with a sportier adaptive M suspension set-up and bigger 20-inch alloys (19s on the X5 M60i).
“Comfort and safety in the new BMW X5 and new BMW X6 can be taken to another new level with a significantly expanded selection of automated driving and parking systems,” said BMW.
“Updates include enhanced capabilities for the standard front-collision warning system, which can now also reduce the risk of a collision with cyclists, pedestrians or oncoming traffic when turning off a road.
“As well as the Reversing Assist Camera and Reversing Assistant, the standard Parking Assistant now also comprises the drive-off monitoring and Trailer Assistant functions.”
carsales understand BMW Australia will release local pricing and spec details for its upgraded X5 and X6 line-up imminently, when we’ll update this article accordingly.
Related: SPY PICS: BMW X6 M sharpens up at Nurburgring
Related: BMW X5 – What you need to know
Related: BMW X5 xDrive25d 2020 Review
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