BMW introduced its all-wheel-drive system named xDrive in 2003.
The first xDrive applications were the newly launched BMW X3, internally coded E83, and the facelifted first-generation X5, coded E53. Unlike BMW’s earlier all-wheel-drive systems, xDrive used an electronically controlled clutch-pack mechanism to vary torque between the front and rear axles.
BMW had offered four-wheel drive before xDrive. The E30 325iX appeared in 1985, followed by the E34 525iX in 1991, and those systems relied heavily on viscous couplings. The xDrive name therefore marks the introduction of a newer electronic approach rather than BMW’s first-ever use of all-wheel drive.
The 2003 date can sometimes be confused with 2004 because the updated X5 was presented for the 2004 model year and its revised system reached production during the 2003 calendar year. Later, xDrive spread across BMW’s sedan, wagon, coupe and performance ranges, including the F90 M5.