3500kg towing for big BMW SUVs

The Toyota LandCruiser is about to face a surprising new heavyweight towing challenge from Germany.

BMW has just upgraded the towing capacity for its three largest SUVs – the new BMW X5, upcoming BMW X6 and all-new BMW X7.

In a major upgrade from their previous tow limit of 2.7 tonnes, all three top-end luxury SUVs are now available with a full 3.5-tonne hauling ability.

The tow capacity upgrade follows more than four years of work by BMW Australia to meet tough requirements under the Australian Design Rules.

They have now been implemented and approved, with the first of the 3.5-tonne models set to arrive from BMW’s factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, next month.

The only downside to the upgrade is a $3200 price tag, including $2500 worth of changes at the factory and another $700 for parts installation at an Australian dealership.

“It’s a pretty big step up for us. We’ve only just been able to get it from the factory,” said BMW Australia product and market planning chief Brendan Michel.

“This has actually been a lot of years in the planning, about four years in total. It’s a major change. We have local homologation rules so the one fitted for the USA, and even the one for Europe, does not meet the Australian Design Rules.”

Michel said the factory changes include strengthening in the tail end of the X-cars, all of which now ride on BMW’s latest CLAR platform, to support a tow-bar that's fitted on the production line.

“It’s not just the new architecture for the latest X cars, it’s meeting the requirements for the Australian regulations.”

The full upgrade is only completed in Australia when the tongue, ball, wiring harness and unique Australian connector plug are fitted to the vehicle.

“When you get the factory pack they actually add more rigidity and strength to the back end of the vehicle. You cannot just add a tow-bar to a car without that upgrade -- it needs to be ordered from the factory.”

BMW is expecting a big jump in sales of the upgraded tow cars, with the X5 expected to bank the biggest benefit.

Also read: Which tow vehicle should I buy?

“On previous generation X-cars we had a fitment rate of around 20 per cent. Not everyone tows with their X cars.

“That should increase considerably. We’re not sure yet by how much, we will wait to see.”

Michel said the 3.5-tonne change is likely to have the biggest impact with people who tow caravans, horses or boats.

“It’s a pretty big step up now for us to be able to offer three-and-a-half tonnes. This is going to open a fair few doors for us.

“In the past the X5 hasn’t really met the towing needs for a lot of people, but now we can help them.”

He said BMW decided not to make the change for all vehicles because of the cost.

“We would have had to raise the price by $2500, which is the cost of the factory option.”

And, for people who plan to do less on the towing front, the cheaper 2.7-tonne tow kit will still be available as a local dealer-fit option.