第三代宝马X5上市已经有近三年了，而这一代X5注定生命周期很短，因为最近谍照记者首次拍到了第四代车型的谍照。当时该车正在进行寒冷气候测试，这款重度伪装原型车相对于现行版似乎只是进行了渐进式改款，它的车身尺寸和形状与老款车都差不多。这也不奇怪，X5是宝马最畅销车型之一，宝马不希望打破成功模式。虽然新车采用了人们熟悉的设计，但下一代X5将采用新的平台，宝马家族很多车型，从3系到X7都将采用该平台。新平台将采用铝制和高刚性钢材，因此预计新车重量将比现行版大幅降低。新车动力系统选择据猜测将包括一系列四缸、六缸和八缸引擎。另外还有插电混动版和M高性能版。下一代X5将于2018年发布并将在南卡罗来纳州斯帕腾伯格工厂生产。

 

2018 BMW X5 spied for the first time

third-generation BMW X5 was introduced nearly three years ago and it will apparently have a pretty short lifecycle as the fourth-generation model has just been spied for the first time.

 

Caught undergoing cold weather testing, the highly camouflaged prototype appears to be an evolution of the current model as it is roughly the same size and shape as the outgoing crossover. This isn't terribly surprising as the X5 is one of BMW's best-selling models and the company doesn't want to mess with a successful formula.

 

Despite having a familiar design, the next-generation X5 will ride on a new platform that will be shared with a variety of other models including everything from the 3 Series to the X7. The new platform will use a combination of aluminum and high-strength steel so we can expect the model will be significantly lighter than its predecessor.

 

Powertrain options are a little hard to pin down at the moment but speculation suggests the crossover will be offered with an assortment of four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engines. We can also expect to see another plug-in hybrid variant as well as a high-performance model from BMW M.

 

The next-generation BMW X5 is expected to be introduced in 2018 and it is slated to be built in Spartanburg, South Carolina.