BMW says the X5 is the first production car to use genuine slate trim. That small trim piece equals roughly 1 percent of the X5’s base price. Crystal glass switches for the seat controls come bundled with the package. Like any new BMW, the latest-generation X5 has people talking, largely because of its bold new design. The cabin proves just as divisive as the sheet metal, and word has now surfaced that every early model will arrive with an intriguing and pricey slate interior trim, whether the buyer asked for it or not. There is no opting out, at least not for now, and that is the part rubbing some people the wrong way. Read: BMW’s X5 Will Remind You Of Musk Every Time You Turn On The Lights BMW’s online configurator for the new X5 reveals that every example built has to be ordered with the €950 ($1,085 at current rates) Individual Clear & Bold option. So what exactly is it? Strange name aside, the option looks rather appealing, adding a thin piece of genuine slate to the center console around the redesigned shifting mechanism. It is an unusual material to find in a car, and BMW is happy to make a point of it. According to BMW Blog, this option makes the X5 the first production car to offer slate trim, and it’s certainly much nicer than piano black. BMW says it will start building X5 models without the small slice of slate from December, which gives reluctant buyers a date to circle on the calendar. Included as standard on models equipped with the Individual Clear & Bold package are also crystal glass on the door panels for adjusting the seat position, as well as the switchgear on the center console. There’s no doubt that paying €950 ($1,080) for some small pieces of trim is a lot of money, representing about 1 percent of the base model’s €95,750 ($109,500) starting price in Germany. Powertrains For All While not everyone will like the design of the new X5, BMW will offer a powertrain that will suit most, if not all, potential buyers. Not only is the new X5 being launched with diesel and petrol powertrains, including a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 394 hp, but BMW has also confirmed two plug-in hybrids. The first, known as the X5 50e AWD, delivers a combined 483 hp and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm), while an even more potent M60e with 612 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) will also be offered. In addition, there’s now an all-electric iX5 available, equipped with twin motors for a combined 570 hp and 593 lb-ft (804 Nm). In the not-too-distant future, V8 models will also be offered, as will a hydrogen-powered iX5.
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