The BMW X5, initially derided for allegedly diluting BMW's heritage by being the German carmaker's first crossover vehicle, is marking a milestone with the production of its one-millionth unit.
The landmark X5 unit is a sapphire black metallic xDrive35i with cinnamon brown Nevada leather trim. The unit was produced in BMW America's South Carolina plant and is destined for a customer in China.
BMW is the very first German carmaker to come up with a luxury crossover that handled more like a sports car and less like an SUV. After 11 years, BMW's trend-setting X5 is no longer alone in the luxury crossover niche as German competitors like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche have released their respective contenders in the segment.
Since the X5 debut in 1999, BMW's crossover range has grown to include the smaller X1 and X3 crossover as well as the sportier X6.(
