XPRESS (Enlarge photo)

03/07/2008 16:08. The BMW X5 4.8i is a swell car. And not because its built to refined standards or swathed in luxury. Its expensive (prices range between Dh355,000 and 410,000) and at 2,422kg, very heavy.

Yet such is the marvel of German engineering that despite its immense weight, the SUV drives like a rally car.

The responsive eight-cylinder V8 engine is smooth and accelerates with impressive authority. Even at stupid speeds, the car hustles effortlessly, absorbing the bumps and cornering with an accuracy and agility that you could expect only from a BMW.

As a sportier alternative to truck-based... // XPRESS