I'm quite into environmentalism - I'm not a "flat-Earther" / CO2 denier - and proudly park my Toyota Prius Mk3 at the front of my house in right-on, lefty Islington. But the X5 is my wonderful guilty pleasure, and this is parked around the back.
Love the "tick all the boxes" nature of the X5. Especially in 2011 austerity Britain ... covered in pot-holes and speed humps. Can only get worse.
Looking forward to some truly terrible weather over the next few years now Britain is set to become part of Scandinavia once the warm North Atlantic Drift turns off.
Of course, as well as an "off-roader" (sorry BMW... "Sports Activity Vehicle"), the X5 also feels like a luxury limo. Can't see why as a private individual with a family and/or interest in touring you'd buy an S class, 740d or A8 for more money and less functionality.
Couldn't bring myself to buy a Range Rover - my birth town is Solihull - all the thick kids at school went to work for Land Rover on the production line.
The new Porsche Cayenne was over-priced and under-performant. Rear light clusters looks awful too.
The new VW Toureg was excellent - a really surprisingly good car - but when specced up was only £5k cheaper than the Beamer.
The Mercedes ML is going to be replaced soon with a new model. The existing diesel model's CO2 output is still too high - over 230 g/km.
The Lexus RX450h really appealed to the head (such low running costs), but the heart just said no. Really felt front wheel drive biased in normal driving which wasn't for me (which it is until wheel slip occurs and 4x4 kicks in).
The BMW it is then!
Criticisms of the X5. Only one ... ride quality absolutely shocking. So firm it'll make you wish you bought a Citroen C6.
Even on 18" wheels and standard suspension. God-awful. The run flat tyres are a rubber and kevlar disaster. They'll be replaced as soon as I can justify the cost. No doubt there are pages of BMW web forums dedicated to this one topic. [I can't imagine how the 20" rims and M-Sport suspension X5 boys get on - I guess just "grin and bare it" 'cos it looks good].
Good to be on board.....
SIMON
Never mind the particles, feel the thrust. 
Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.
