Sport Utility Vehicle
(SUV) is a generic marketing description for a vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis.[1] Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on or off-road ability, some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan. SUVs are considered light trucks and often share the same platforms of pickups and thus are regulated less stringently than passenger cars under two major laws in the U.S.—the Energy Policy and Conservation Act for fuel economy standards, and the Clean Air Act for emissions standards
It is known in some countries as an "off-road vehicle" or "four-wheel drive", often abbreviated to "4WD" or "4x4", pronounced "four-by-four". However, not all SUVs have four-wheel drive capabilities. Conversely, not all 4WD passenger vehicles are SUVs. Off-road vehicles are a very different class of vehicles, being vehicles primarily built for off-road use. However this distinction is often not made by the general public and in the media. Although some SUVs have off-road capabilities, this is often a secondary role and they often do not have the ability to switch between 2WD, 4WD high gearing and 4WD low gearing. While automakers frequently tout a particular SUV's off-road prowess with advertising and naming, the daily use of SUVs is largely paved roads and urban areas. This also causes the term SUV to be used as a denigrating term by owners of "real" off-road vehicles.
Initially extremely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the SUV's popularity has since declined. Due to high oil prices and a declining economy since the mid-2000s, manufacturers have responded to buyers' complaints. The traditional truck-based SUV is gradually being supplanted by a new vehicle type, the crossover SUV, which uses an automobile platform for lighter weight and better fuel efficiency.
The X5 xDrive48i
Performance and efficiency
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| 4.8-liter, 350 -hp 32-valve V-8 engine, 4 overhead camshafts, Valvetronic, and Double-VANOS 2-step variable intake manifold | 6-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with Adaptive Transmission Control and steptronic gear selection, including Sport mode |
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| Handling, ride and braking |
| xDrive all-wheel-drive system |
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including Brake Fade Compensation, Start-off Assistant, Brake Drying, and Brake Stand-by features, with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), and Dynamic Brake Control |
| Hill Des cent Control (HDC) | Double wishbone front suspension |
| Lightweight multi-link integral rear suspension | Engine-speed-sensitive power steering |
4-wheel anti-lock ventilated disc brakes; electronic front/rear proportioning
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Instrumentation and controls
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| Dynamic Cruise Control | Se rvice Interval Indicator and Check Control vehicle monitor |
| Electronic analog instrumentation with LED illumination | Outside-temperature display |
| iDrive system with on-board computer and Controller, and 6 programmable memory buttons | Time-delay courtesy lights with actuation from driver's exterior door handle or remote control; automatic switch-on when engine is turned off |
| Rear-window defroster | Tire Pressure Monitor |
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| Exterior |
| 18 x 8.5 Star Spoke (Style 209) light alloy wheels, and 255/55 run-flat all-season tires | Xenon Adaptive Headlights with auto-leveling and Corona headlight-rings |
| Halogen free-form foglights with Cornering Lights function | Dual power outside mirrors |
| Intermittent rain-sensing windshield wipers with adjustable and vehicle-speed-sensitive wiping interval, single-wipe control, windshield-washer system with heated washer jets | Rear-window wiper/washer with adjustable wiping interval |
| Roof rails (accommodate various BMW roof carrier systems) | Chrome exhaust tips |
| Metallic paint | Body-color exterior door and tailgate handles
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Audio system
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| Anti-theft AM/FM stereo CD radio with Radio Data System (RDS), MP3 capabilities, and 3-channel FM diversity antenna system | High-fidelity 10-speaker sound system includes 2 subwoofers under the front seats and digital 7-channel amplifier with 205 watts of power
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Interior
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| 10-way power-adjustable driver's and passenger's seat and memory system for driver's seat, steering wheel and outside mirrors | Front-seat center console with armrest, storage compartment, and auxiliary input |
| Rear-seat center armrest | Split folding rear seats |
| Nevada Leather upholstery | Dark Burl Walnut Wood interior trim |
| Power tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel | F ully finished cargo area with velour carpeting |
Retractable cargo cover
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Comfort and convenience
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| Vehicle & Key Memory | Panoramic moonroof with 2-piece glass panel, power slide and lift control, wind deflector and electric interior sunshade |
| Power windows with key-off operation; "one-touch" opening and closing of all door windows, anti-trapping feature | Automatic front climate control with separate left/right temperature settings, automatic air conditioning and recirculation control |
| Active-charcoal micro-filter ventilation | Dual cupholders front and rear |
| Dual front sun visors with illuminated mirrors | Automatic tilt-down of right outside mirror for visibility of curb when backing up
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Pre-wiring for trailer hitch
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Safety and security
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| Driver's and passenger's front airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) with advanced technology: dual-threshold, dual-stage deployment; and front-passenger seat sensors designed to prevent unnecessary airbag deployment | 3-point safety belts and head restraints at all seating positions |
| Front safety belts with automatic pretensione rs | Active Head Restraints in front seats |
| Front- and rear-compartment Head Protection System (HPS) with front side-impact airbags | Roll-over sensor that triggers airbags and safety-belt pretensioners in the event of a roll-over |
| Steering column telescopic system | Adaptive Brake Lights |
| Battery Safety Terminal | Central locking system and Coded Driveaway Protection |
| Alarm system with keyhead remote operation interior motion detector |
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BMW Services
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BMW Ultimate Service™
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A new redesign of the Mazda 6 means a lot when you look at the other cars that use the Mazda 6’s underpinnings. Ford based the of its other cars off of the current Mazda 6 and they will probably follow suit and still have the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ as Mazda 6 relatives. Either way with the other vehicles being shared, the Mazda 6 is up for a new redesign and we expect the new concept to be shown in the upcoming September Frankfurt Motor Show while that was confirmed by someone we keep in contact with at Ford. The new redesigned Mazda 6 will more than likely be released as a 2009 model and go on sale in mid 2008.
