A MOVE even further up market is the promise from BMW with the autumn arrival of its third generation X5 sports activity vehicle.

The prestige manufacturer lays claim to having invented the SAV concept with the original X5, and since its introduction 14 years ago some 1.3 million of them have been sold.

And the latest version, due in November, will come with major advances in design, luxury, comfort, safety and connectivity plus a choice of five TwinPower Turbo engines - four diesel and one petrol.

There's also a standard eight-speed automatic transmission and the option of two or four-wheel drive - sDrive and xDrive - and SE or M Sport specifications.

The range will initially be made up of the xDrive30d, M50d and xDrive50i, the 3.0-litre six-cylinder xDrive30d some 19 per cent more fuel efficient, with economy improved by 7.4mpg and emissions reduced by 33g/km.

The M50d, powered by a single turbo version of the 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, is 12 per cent more efficient while the xDrive50i has a new-generation 4.4-litre V8 engine with 10 per cent more power but 20 per cent better fuel consumption.

These three engines will be joined at the end of the year by a four-cylinder diesel - taking advantage of the new X5's reduced weight - and another six-cylinder diesel.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine is new to the X5 and appears in the only two-wheel drive model - the sDrive25d - as well as the xDrive25d, which the company says will provisionally achieve fuel economy of 50.4mpg and 47.9mpg.

Respective provisional CO2 figures are 149g/km and 155g/km and the xDrive40d, with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre diesel engine, is expected to have average fuel consumption of 44.1mpg with CO2 emissions of 169g/km.

BMW's EfficientDynamics features are also there to help keep fuel consumption and emissions to a minimum and fitted as standard are ECO PRO, Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration, electric power steering and low rolling resistance tyres.

Inside there are features like a layered front panel with 3D surfacing, adding to the sensation of space, and there are also accent strips on the door panels and a 10.2 inch free-standing Control Display screen linked to the new iDrive operating system.

All models will have newly designed front seats with the option of comfort or sport seats while an Easy Entry function and a new grip make rear access easier.

And in the third row, seats can be lowered into the floor individually and the folding backrest in the middle row is now split 40:20:40 as standard for greater versatility.

Practicality is also boosted thanks to a minimum 650 litres of luggage space, rising to 1,870 litres - an increase of 30 litres with the seats up and 120 litres with them folded - in two-seat formation.

BMW says there is also more storage space within the cabin while the split tailgate includes auto operation of the upper section as standard.

A pair of design packages - Design Pure Experience and Design Pure Excellence - will be available as alternatives to the standard SE and M Sport spec to allow maximum personalisation.

Prices will start at £42,590 for the X5 sDrive25d rising to £63,920 for the xDrive50i.