Latest news with #X5
Auto Express
a day ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
The new BMW X7 is getting the Neue Klasse treatment
We only got confirmation last month that BMW's largest SUV, the X7, will return for a second generation, but we've caught it testing on the road already as it's prepared for an expected launch in 2026. BMW subtly announced the new model during its Q1 financial results call earlier this year, during which the company revealed it had incurred the research and development costs for the upcoming Neue Klasse line-up (which will launch later this year with the new iX3) as well as 'successor models to the BMW X5 and BMW X7'. Advertisement - Article continues below News of a fifth-generation X5 was no surprise, as we've also spotted it testing with some clear design influences from the Neue Klasse concepts. As with the new X5, due in 2026, the X7, which may also arrive next year, looks like it'll borrow styling from the Neue Klasse line-up. What is immediately obvious from the shots of this camouflaged test car is that the X7 will retain its position as BMW's biggest SUV. The sheer proportions will surely give it seven-seat capacity once more, ensuring it remains a close rival to the Mercedes GLS (which will soon be updated) and the full-size Range Rover. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below At the front end, it looks like the new X7 will continue with the split headlight design that appears on the current car and the 7 Series limousine flagship. Here we can see a chunky headlight cluster below a thin LED strip. In the middle, there's a vertical kidney grille arrangement – we'll have to wait and see if this merges into the headlights, as per the Neue Klasse concept models. Also visible are some tabs on top of the doors to the side, which is something we've seen on other prototype BMWs, including the next-generation X5. At the rear, the design is less radical, with a quad-tip exhaust system on this car suggesting it could be a hot M50 or M60 variant, plus an overhanging roof spoiler. Underneath, the new X7 is expected to sit on a revised version of BMW's existing Cluster Architecture (CLAR). This platform is able to cater to both internal-combustion and pure-electric powertrains. While BMW hasn't suggested the new X7 will gain a pure-electric variant, the German firm has at least trademarked the 'iX7' nameplate. An all-electric iX7 wouldn't be too surprising, however, given that BMW is in the process of creating EV variants of its core models. The Neue Klasse programme will see the introduction of the X3-sized iX3 first, followed by the all-electric 'i3' 3 Series and at a later stage an electric 'i1' 1 Series. It's possible the electric components for the iX7 could be taken from the i7. Powering the CLAR-underpinned i7 is a 105.7kWh battery with three different power outputs – a single-motor rear-wheel-drive 449bhp unit, a dual-motor four-wheel-drive 537bhp version and a top-rung dual-motor with 650bhp. Given the X7 is an SUV, we'd expect only the dual-motor all-wheel-drive layouts to be offered. Can't wait for the new model? Check out the best BMW X7 deals right now... Find a car with the experts New Volvo EM90 2025 review: the ultimate SUV killer New Volvo EM90 2025 review: the ultimate SUV killer Volvo has made an ultra-luxurious van. Intrigued? You should be, but sadly it's for China only Groundbreaking Nissan solid-state EV batteries due on sale by 2028 Groundbreaking Nissan solid-state EV batteries due on sale by 2028 The industry is in a race to bring solid-state to the market, and Nissan isn't too far behind the leaders New Audi Q3 reinvents the indicator stalk, but there's a whole lot more too New Audi Q3 reinvents the indicator stalk, but there's a whole lot more too Audi's not taking any risks with its all-new Q3; watch it sell like crazy
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
The Design That Will Change BMW's Future
BMW's upcoming Neue Klasse lineup manages to be both completely new and utterly distinctive at the same time. The cars look characteristically "BMW" while also carrying a cyberpunk-like, futuristic aesthetic. They're polarizing designs to be sure, but one can't argue that they look like nothing else currently on the road. Whether that's a good or bad thing is entirely subjective. The upcoming BMW i3, or Vision Neue Klasse, is nothing like the small, Aston Martin Cygnet-like hatchback it replaced, to say the least. The concept sedan that BMW has been showing off highlights bold, sharp lines, without a single curve in sight. The front end has a slight, shark-nose tilt to it, reminiscent of the BMWs of the 1970s, such as the 2002. The distinct kidney grille now lights up and is integrated with the slim, angled LED headlights. Out back, the taillights nearly span the length of the trunk lid but are split in the middle by a small panel with the BMW logo. These design elements seem to have persisted based on the test mule we've spied driving around. We haven't seen much of the interior, but the concept shots featured little more than an infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard and a skyroof spanning the headliner. We can only hope that the screen situation will change for the production version, although we're fans of the skyroof. The upcoming BMW X5 Neue Klasse, or Neue Klasse X, carries most of the i3's design elements but supersizes them in SUV form. The front and rear are largely the same, although the front further embodies the BMWs of the 1970s with a thin, vertical kidney grille. The upcoming X5 also sports a few aerodynamic elements, like large openings in both bumpers, side skirts, and a small spoiler above the rear hatch. The cabin is also largely the same, right down to the skyroof, although the X5 concept images carry a more playful white and orange color scheme that reminds me of some 1960s automotive designs. From what we can gather in the spy shots above, most of these design elements will make it into production. BMW's upcoming lineup is certainly polarizing, but unapologetically new. With sharp lines, modern technology, and futuristic aesthetics, BMW is really looking to shake things up when these models are set to hit the scene in 2026. What will be interesting is not just seeing how its domestic competitors, such as Mercedes-Benz and Audi, respond, but also how international competitors from Asia and the U.S. will respond. Looking at BMW's concepts and comparing them to other offerings from makes like Hyundai and Kia, one thing is certain: we are entering a new (or Neue) era of automotive design. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Hugely popular luxury car company to raise prices next month citing inflation as key factor: 'Waste'
Some of America's favorite luxury cars are about to get more expensive. BMW is hiking sticker prices across nearly its entire 2026 lineup next month, bumping MSRPs by up to $2,500 starting July 1, according to a dealer bulletin obtained by CarsDirect. The German automaker told dealers the average increase will clock in at 1.9 percent, affecting almost every gas-powered car and SUV on its upcoming roster. That includes America's third best-selling luxury vehicle, the gas-powered X5, and the tenth best-selling X3. For consumers, entry-level X3 models will increase from $49,950 to $50,899. At the top end, the sporty X5 M will increase from $127,200 to $129,700. But the price increase won't effect BMW's entire lineup. The brand's all-electric models — like the i5, i7, and iX — are exempt from the hikes. The ALPINA XB7, the 2026 BMW M2, and the newly updated 2-Series Gran Coupe won't see any price changes either. The bulletin, which reportedly surfaced in early June, skips any mention of President Donald Trump's 25 percent car tariff. Instead, it points to ' inflation and enhancements to standard equipment' as the cause for the upcoming increases. BMW owners on Reddit didn't seem to mind the price change. One commenter said, 'Looks like my resale is continuing to hold strong.' However, another driver chided the company for its high prices. 'BMW = Big Money Waste,' they added. BMW didn't immediately respond to request for comment. In June, the company confirmed that it was spending $1.7 billion to build more EVs in the US. But the dealer letter lands at a moment when American buyers are zeroing in on how import duties are rippling through car prices. In March, President Trump's unveiled his signature tariff policy for all imported vehicles and their parts. BMW didn't say the dealership change was in response to tariffs BMW's CEO, Oliver Blume, recently reiterated the brand's intention to invest $1.7 billion in American battery and manufacturing plants Then, in April, the administration softened the rollout, giving domestic automakers time to recalibrate. Consumers, worried about price increases, headed to dealership lots in droves. Multiple car brands reported banner sales to start this year. But consumer retail data released on Tuesday shows that pre-tariff sugar rush has likely crashed. Since then, companies have started tallying the potential tariff damage. GM's CEO, Mary Barra, warned the new policy could cost her automaker up to $5 billion this year. Ford's CEO, Jim Farley, said his mostly American-built fleet will still be on the hook for $1 to $2.5 billion in added costs. Independent analysts have warned those costs are poised to land in American drivers, with increased car prices and insurance premiums. Before the tariffs, the auto industry was already struggling with a price problem. The average American spent more than $49,000 to purchase a new set of wheels in May. Some car companies including — Toyota and Volkswagen — have already signaled price hikes before the end of the year. But BMW's bulletin offers one of the clearest early snapshots of what those price hikes could look like. The only other major pricing shifts since the tariff announcement came in May, when Ford increased the price of its Mexican-made Mustang Mach-E, Maverick, and Bronco Sport models. Ford attributed the hike to minor model upgrades, not policy fallout.
Sinar Daily
5 days ago
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Main doctor charged in actor Matthew Perry overdose to plead guilty: Prosecutors
10月20日は「頭髪の日」。髪は長い友などと言われるわりに、記者の友は疎遠になりがち……。この友との関係をつなげてくれるのが発毛剤です。 今回は10月20日に先駆け、発毛剤「リアップX5チャージ」を発売する大正製薬より総合研究所のメディア見学会に誘われたので行ってきました。こんな機会滅多にない！ 大正製薬の総合研究所は、埼玉新都市交通ニューシャトル「今羽駅」から徒歩6～7分のところにあります。普段なかなか見ることができない研究施設を見学できるということで、まさしく大人の社会科見学。駅から工場へ向かう道のりは、少しワクワクしていました。 入口で受付を済ませると、大きな工場の脇を通って研究室がある建物の中へ。会議室へ案内されて、まずは「リアップX5チャージ」の紹介や研究の歴史などが説明されました。 ■ 「発毛剤」と「育毛剤」の違いは？ ところでみなさんは「発毛剤」と「育毛剤」の違いをご存知でしょうか？読んで字のごとくですが、「発毛剤」は医薬品で新しく髪を発毛させて生えた髪を育てて抜けにくくするもの。「育毛剤」は医薬部外品で今ある髪を育てて抜けにくくするものです。 この発毛剤の主成分が「ミノキシジル」。元々は、1960年代に現在のジョンソン・エンド・ジョンソンが高血圧治療の内服薬の成分として開発。服用した人に「体毛が濃くなる」副作用が見られたことから頭皮に塗る外用剤として開発がすすめられ、1999年に大正製薬が日本初の一般用医薬品発毛剤「リアップ」として発売します。 日本の一般用医薬品として配合できるミノキシジルの最大濃度は5％。発売当初「リアップ」に配合されていたミノキシジルは1％でしたが、2009年から5％配合されるようになります。 今回、発売される「リアップX5チャージ」にはミノキシジル5％に加えて、抜け毛予防や育毛のサポート成分が7種類も入っています。これは市場にある発毛剤の中でもっとも有効成分数が多いそうです。 ■ 1つの成分を加えるのに15年！ さらに7種類のサポート成分の1つである「パンテノール」。これは育毛のサポート成分で、この1種類を加えるのにかかった年月は、なんと15年。 つまり2009年にミノキシジル5％配合のリアップを発売した頃には、すでに「パンテノール」を加えようと考えていて、試行錯誤の結果ついに「リアップX5チャージ」で加えられたということです。 15年の間には「2度の大きな挫折（パンテノールを含まない新商品の発売など）」や「ベースとなる基剤の変更（ゼロからのスタート）」、「約200通り以上の処方」など、様々な苦労があったといいます。 ■ 研究室へ移動！頭部のマネキンがズラリ 会議室での説明が終わると、ついに研究室へ移動。ここでは「発毛・育毛」や「白髪改善」、「髪質改善」などヘアケアの研究がおこなわれています。今回はその中でも「成分探索研究（溶解成分）」や「毛包ターゲッティング研究」、「頭皮環境研究」などを見学。 まずは頭部のマネキンがズラリと並ぶ「頭皮環境研究」のエリアへ。マネキンの頭に生えている毛は人毛で、髪型を変えたり、あえて髪が薄い部分を作ったりしてリアップを塗ったりしているのだとか。 その隣にはマイクロスコープを使用した頭皮を観察できる装置も。マイクロスコープにより、「皮脂の蓄積」や「肌の炎症」、「軟毛化（薄くなりかけている毛）」などを細かく観察することにより、頭皮で何が起こっているのか一目瞭然。ここからヒントを得て発毛や育毛のサポート成分の選定や研究をおこなっているそうです。 続いては「成分探索研究（溶解成分）」エリア。発毛剤の主成分である「ミノキシジル」は非常に水に溶けにくい性質を持っています。そこで「ミノキシジル」が溶剤や水とよく混ざり合う処方を開発。それが右の容器で、左の混ざっていない容器と比べると雲泥の差です。 この研究が「リアップX5チャージ」の誕生につながり、さらに改良を重ねて次の製品にも活用しようと考えているとのだとか。 ■ 皮膚に近い状態を作って試行錯誤 最後は「毛包ターゲッティング研究」。皮膚は「表皮」と「真皮」と「皮下組織」の大きく分けて3つの層になっていて、毛根の部分は「皮下組織」のところにあります。毛根には毛を作るための毛乳頭細胞や毛母細胞があり、この部分に発毛剤を効率良く届けることが重要。 逆にこの部分を通り過ぎて毛細血管の方に行ってしまうと、「ミノキシジル」は元々は高血圧の薬だったので副作用が出やすくなってしまうそう。 そのため皮膚に見立てた人口膜（シリコン）や皮膚の温度とだいたい同じ32度の水を使用した実験装置を活用。できるだけ皮膚に近い状態を作り、「発毛効果の促進」と「副作用のリスク軽減」について試行錯誤を重ねて、日々研究していると語ります。 取材協力：大正製薬株式会社 （取材・撮影：佐藤圭亮）
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
As an EV owner, would I need a home charger or not?
With two young kids and a 40-km daily commute through heavy Toronto traffic, Illianna Katsikeris liked driving her powerful BMW X5 SUV, but hated the cost of constantly filling it up. 'We were spending way too much money on gas,' said the TDSB teacher. 'I wanted the same car without the same (premium fuel) cost.' So she and her husband decided to trade in her thirsty gas-only X5 for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the 2025 X5 in March, leasing their X5 xDrive50e as a way to dip their toe into the electric world. After that came the key question that most plug-in vehicle owners will face: Do I need a home EV charger or not? The general consensus seems 'yes, ideally.' Automakers, EV advocates and utilities have all noted that in North America, a healthy majority of current EV owners, who have access to a garage or driveway, have already invested in a charging station. This is especially true for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), with larger batteries, although it's less clear for PHEVs. But it's also the pricier way to charge your electric vehicle. Depending on your house's layout and electrical panel capacity, installing a home charger may cost thousands of extra dollars, on top of the $500 to about $1,400 for the actual unit that mounts on the wall and connects with your EV. Knowing the differences between L1 and L2 charging options can help save money. It's worth noting here the practical differences between trickle charging (also known as Level 1 charging) and Level 2 charging, which is what utility Toronto Hydro estimates is used by roughly three-quarters of its EV-driving customers. Level 1 (L1) charging uses the cord that usually comes with your EV, and plugs into regular, three-prong, 120-volt outlets, running eight to 16 amps. It's the simplest way to connect your EV. It's also the slowest way to charge. This does have a payoff: it adds roughly eight kilometres of electric range per hour of charging, according to Canadian EV advocacy and education group Plug'n Drive's website. Katsikeris charges her BMW plug-in hybrid this way. She uses the charge cord it came with and plugs it in to an outlet in her driveway. Rated at an official 63 km of all-electric range before its six-cylinder gas engine kicks in, her X5 is now estimating closer to 75 km in warmer weather, she says. That's very healthy range for a mid-size, luxury, all-wheel drive PHEV. But its relatively large 22-kilowatt-hour (kWh) pack also means longer recharge times on L1 charging and that can become annoying. 'It takes 24 hours to fully recharge, which is a pain in the butt,' lamented Katsikeris, who is using L1 charging at home, via a regular 110-volt plug, outdoors. To tackle that pain, many EV drivers opt for Level 2 charging. A Level 2 charger uses a 240-volt connection, similar to a stove or dryer outlet. In most jurisdictions, these require an electrician to install, and they involve a permit and safety inspection. Charging speeds vary much more with L2 chargers, which are known more accurately as EVSEs (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), and come in much wider-ranging amperage levels, from 16- on up to beefy 80-amp units. Most commonly, L2s generally range from 30 amps to 40 amps, which provide roughly 35 kilometres of electric driving per hour, estimates Plug'n Drive. These times can vary widely in colder temperatures, and, on different vehicles. Some EVs charge on L2s at leisurely 3.3-kilowatt rates, while others can blaze along at up to 19.2 kW. Choosing a lower amperage L2 charger can save thousands in the service upgrades you avoid. Katsikeris' dealer told her that installing an L2 charging station for her X5 would cost about $2,500. BMW Canada lists its branded Wallbox charger as a $1,100-dealer-accessory on its site, and various automakers have offered to pay for the 'standard installation' of an EV charger in Canada with a price cap of roughly $1,500 in recent years. Toronto Hydro's director of climate action, Julia McNally, actually faced the question of whether to invest in a home-charging station, herself, last year when she bought an all-electric Mini Cooper. 'When I was shopping for it, (what I heard) from the ecosystem was 'You need a Level 2,' but I don't really need one,' said McNally, who noted that she drives relatively few kilometres per year and often bikes to work. Her older, urban home also has 100-amp service, so installing a powerful 80-amp charger would mean she'd have to upgrade to a 200-amp electrical panel. According to a recent inspection and price quote on a similar panel from R.A.W Electrical, of Keswick, Ont., this would cost another $2,900, outside of utility fees and taxes. 'So L1 is really underappreciated,' said McNally, who advises EV buyers to try L1 to see if it works for them, and, if faster charging is required, to pay close attention to the L2 charger's amperage, so they don't buy more than their panel can handle. 'We're hearing stories about being upsold on the amperage,' she said. For her part, Katsikeris would like to have quicker L2 home-charging, but says she'll wait for now. 'We're going to renovate the house anyway, so we figured we'd wait (to install a charger) until we do the entire house,' she said. Until then, she'll keep hunting L2 chargers near work or while out in the city whenever possible, to augment her home trickle charging.
