Pure electric instead of hybrid: Borgward brings his compact SUV BX5 exclusively as Electric car on the German market. 2019 wants to start the traditional Bremen brand in Chinese hands, the sale in this country, the new plant in Bremen should then have started work.
The conventional version of the BX5 will be built in China starting in March and initially sold mainly in the Middle Kingdom. The 4,48 meter long Allrader uses the architecture of the good 20 centimeter longer BX7 and wants to offer as this premium appearance at a low price. The aim is to help, among other things, a complex chassis with multi-link rear suspension, a modern infotainment system with Apple Car Play and a concierge service that offers small services.
Outside Germany, the compact SUV is powered by a 1,8-liter turbo gasoline engine with 140 kW / 190 PS, which is coupled to a six-speed automatic. At first, the plug-in hybrid drive announced at the trade fair premiere 2016 in Geneva does not exist. For this purpose, a pure electric drive will be available in just two years, to which the manufacturer does not yet give any further details.
The BX5 could be built in the new assembly plant Bremen, which 2018 is to start operations. Even the big brother BX7 could be assembled there from individual parts. Borgward does not quote prices for the new models, but they are likely to be significantly lower than comparable German premium vehicle manufacturers. Mercedes and BMW, for example, want similar e-models in the program at the end of the decade, which are unlikely to cost much less than 60.000 euros. (Holger Holzer / SP-X)