Article Summary
- The Individual Clear & Bold option is included with every early build of the new BMW X5.
- BMW estimates you'll have to wait until December to order the G65 without the Individual option.
- It costs €950 and makes the X5 the first production car to use real slate as an optional decorative surface.
Shortly after the G65 made its world premiere earlier this week, the luxury SUV began appearing in configurators across Europe. While you’re limited to the 40 xDrive and 40d xDrive for now, the plug-in hybrids and the EV will follow in early October. Meanwhile, the more time we spend exploring the virtual build tool, the more interesting details we discover.
Even with a limited model lineup, there’s still plenty to see in the configurator. Pricing starts at €95,750 for the base diesel model, but it will drop slightly late this year. Initially, the X5 can only be ordered with a new feature called Individual Clear & Bold. It costs €950 in Germany, and you can’t untick the box in the options list. BMW estimates it will allow customers to place orders without the option around December.
If you want to be among the early adopters, BMW proudly says it’s the first automaker to use genuine slate. Yes, even before Rolls-Royce. There’s a thin layer of stone as a decorative element along the lower section of the center console, surrounding the switchgear. Since it’s the real deal rather than a faux texture, you can actually feel the subtle bumps and irregular grain, just as you would on a real stone. The unusual material choice makes the interior more visually interesting, but it has another advantage.
It’s Not A Fingerprint Magnet
You won’t have to worry about fingerprints. It’s a frustrating issue with the glossy black trim that has plagued the interiors of most modern cars. That’s especially important because your hand will frequently touch the matte control panel. That’s where the gear selector is located, alongside the parking brake, rear defroster, volume roller, and hazard light button.
Those controls are always finished in crystal glass when paired with the slate trim. Elsewhere, the high-quality glass extends to the door panel for the controls for adjusting the seat backrest, fore/aft position, and seat height. BMW says the optional decorative surface gives the new X5’s interior an “atmosphere of elemental sophistication.” What if you don’t like it? Well, from now until around the end of the year, you’re pretty much stuck with it when placing an order.
We’ll likely be seeing more of this intriguingly unconventional slate-and-crystal-glass combination next year. BMW has already confirmed the second-generation X7 for a 2027 debut, and we’d be surprised if Individual Clear & Bold doesn’t appear on the large SUV’s options list. As we’ve recently reported, there’s also a good chance the 31.3-inch Theatre Screen will make its way to the G67, which the new X5 doesn’t get.
