BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle Outperforms All Other Utility Vehicles in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Bumper Test  
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BMW X5

Photo: BMW

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey - The BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle far outperformed a number of SUV's in a recent 5 MPH bumper test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The X5 received a rating of "acceptable" by the institute. In fact, it is the only utility vehicle ever tested to date to achieve a rating that high.  

Of the performance of the 2001 BMW X5 in this test, IIHS president Brian O'Neill noted that it "is the only SUV in this group with halfway decent bumpers. The rear bumper is good. It allowed only about $200 damage in the pole impact, which usually is the toughest of our four bumper tests. The X5 also performed well in the rear-into-flat-barrier test." 

Although it is a light truck the X5 utilizes the same bumper technology as BMW passenger cars including collapsible tubes, front and rear, which are designed to limit body damage up to 9 MPH. Mr. O'Neill noted "the bumpers on most SUVs... don't have anything effective to absorb energy," adding that,"the BMW X5 does." 

"BMW is pleased with the performance of the X5 in this test," said Karl-Heinz Ziwica, General Manager, Environmental Engineering for BMW of North America. "Our engineers take this aspect of vehicle performance into consideration and design for superior incremental crash protection, even at speeds higher than the test speed used by IIHS. Our primary focus is on excellent overall crash protection, particularly at higher speeds. With the latest IIHS bumper test of the X5, BMW is gratified to see that our ongoing efforts in this area continue to pay off." 

(September 13, 2000)