Cultural Appropriation
Some countries are more heavily influenced by culture and tradition than others, and brands often leverage this to promote products and drive profit. The automotive industry is one of the sectors that typically does this well, creating one-off or special-edition models to celebrate culture and tradition.
February is a significant month for Chinese culture, as this is the time when they gear up and celebrate their version of the New Year, or as we know it, the Lunar New Year. For 2026, the BMW X5 is getting a special-edition model in China, featuring custom paint and interior.
BMW China
Equestrian Vibes
As we all know, when it comes to the Lunar New Year, each year is associated with a certain animal. Each animal is assigned based on the year you were born, and it gives you a specific set of characteristics and even a different outlook for the year compared to the other animal signs. 2026 is the Year of the Horse, and as such, BMW China is releasing a special-edition trim aptly named the Year of the Horse Edition.
One of the first upgrades to the Year of the Horse Edition is the paint, which will come in a matte Blue Sapphire finish, and is based on the BMW X5. According to the photos, it presents itself in a really dark hue, almost deep violet, but that could be because the photos are, erm… dark. It will also include a few blacked-out exterior components, such as the grille, exhaust tips, and 22-inch alloy wheels.
No special edition is complete with just the outside, so inside the X5 will also be getting some horse-themed touches. Chinese culture thrives on hues of red and gold, which this special edition model showcases through gold stepsills and dark red synthetic leather seats. Of course, a horse logo was also created and embroidered on the seats; it drew inspiration from the “divine horse” imagery in the Dunhuang murals, depicting a spirit of “power, speed, and pioneering.”
There will be two powertrain options available for this X5: the 2.0-liter turbocharged mild-hybrid with 258hp and the 3.0-liter mild-hybrid with 381 hp, both of which will be mated to an 8-speed transmission.
BMW China
Another Notable Special Edition
History is full of random special edition models, but relating them to culture always seems to be one of the harder ones to do; as such, there are very few Lunar New Year models, with the most recent one debuting in 2024.
Rolls-Royce chose to come out with a Year of the Dragon model that included four vehicles, three Phantoms (extended) and one Cullinan. As is the case with any Rolls-Royce model, these cars were heavily modified in the most bespoke way only Rolls-Royce knows how to do.
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