The images from these cameras are shown on the Control Display of the operating system iDrive, providing an advance view of the road situation to the left and right of the vehicle when coming out of blind exits such as narrow driveways or multi-storey car parks, for example. Speed Limit Info gives the driver the possibility of finding out about speed restrictions on the current route.

Here, a camera is installed on the windscreen in the area of the interior mirror which permanently monitors signs at the roadside as well as the variable displays on overhead gantries on motorways, comparing this information with the data from the navigation system. The figure thus obtained is displayed by means of a symbol on the instrument panel or in the Head-Up Display, as required.

Newly designed rear lights with especially narrow bands of light in the reversing lamps provide an enhanced sense of width in the BMW X5 M. Their homogeneously luminous light banks fed by LED also create a nocturnal design which is characteristic of the brand. They are now also fitted with dynamic LED brake lights which flash in the event of particularly intense deceleration, thereby providing a warning signal for drivers to the rear.

[Source: BMW ]

Cause judging by the video below, the drive of this BMW X5 M clearly overestimated the xDrive system in its powerful M car and…..it flipped upside down. As many automotive journalists have pointed out before, with the adoption of all-wheel drive as one of the most popular choices in the Northern and Midwest states, the semi-annual ritual of swapping snow tires has largely disappeared.

But as advanced as those all-wheel drive technologies are,  they can’t always substitute for a set of snow tires. Before the car can rely on the AWD technology and its capability to detect and predict sliding, four rubbers are much needed for a solid contact with the ground, and not just any rubbers, but rather some good snow tires.

So next time you feel adventurous behind the wheel of your SUV/SAV, think about the importance of those winter tires. Yes we know, we all want to believe we’re great drivers, but you’ll never know…..

[Source: GTSpirit ]

….and we’re still confused if he gives it thumbs up or down, but that’s somewhat expected. Despite the mixed review (at least we think it was mixed), Clarkson brings up some positive points as well as negative ones, one of the less pleasant ones being the first M-powered X5 and X6 to go to market when things aren’t so dandy for the automotive industry and not only.

Let’s have a look, shall we?

BMW’s Motorsport division has been busy creating the first ever M-powered X5. We must take this seriously because BMW’s M cars are almost always a cut above. The M5 is biblically good and the current M3, divine. It’s a full five seconds faster round the Ascari track than Merc’s 6.2-litre C-class and Audi’s RS4.

Thumbs up no. 1

The X5 M pulls off a similar trick. There is simply no other big SUV that goes, steers, stops or turns even half as well as this. You can fling it into bends and while the traction control is already ready to step in and stop you having too much fun and games, you can get the back to step out of line and sit there, in a controlled slide, just like you can with an M5 saloon.

Or maybe not?

Actually, I’m being silly. It’s nothing like an M5. An M5 is 5,000 times better in the bends because it’s lower and therefore has the laws of physics on its side. The X5 M is good for an SUV, and that’s it.

But here comes a real Thumbs up (No 2. if we count the previous one):

The best thing, though, is the complete absence of turbo lag. When turbos first came onto the scene — in a BMW incidentally, unless you are an American, in which case you will claim it was on a Chevrolet — there was always a pause from the moment you put your foot down to the moment anything happened.

Thumbs down? But really, isn’t an M car supposed to feel that way? A bit rougher at the edges?

There are, of course, a few downsides to its new-found sharpness. Like it’s fitted with fat tyres that render the car utterly useless in a field and are fairly hopeless everywhere else too. On a bumpy B road, the ride is so firm, you find yourself hanging on to the steering wheel just to stop yourself being bounced out of the seat. It’s not good enough, this. Not by a long way.

Thumbs down no…? Well, not really in our opinion. Seriously, does one expect ultimate interior luxury in the Ultimate Driving Machine, an M car made for the road not for carrying executives around….?

Nor is the interior, which is just about all right on a £40,000 diesel. But is emphatically not all right on a £78,000 heavyweight ballet dancer.

Thumbs down again…Well, call us fanboys, but this one makes no sense. The latest generation iDrive is quite fine.

And then there are the problems that blight its lesser brothers and sisters. Chief among these problems is the iDrive system, which offers up a wide range of driver options, none of which makes any sense. I did quite like the head-up display, though. Because when you are that high above the road, you really do feel like you’re in a low-flying jet.

Here comes the slam….Seriously? What about the people that want all-wheel drive and still the power of an M. Mind you, money is no objection here.

That said, I don’t really think the X5 M makes much sense except on a track, where it doesn’t make half as much sense as the cheaper, better M5, which, incidentally, comes with just as many seats.

And here is the conclusion:

Like the original, it’s clever from a technical standpoint but times have to be good for a car like this to make sense. And they aren’t. So it doesn’t. If you need a tall off-road car, buy a Range Rover diesel. If you need a five-seater that is fun, buy an M5. Don’t try to buy something that combines both things because what the X5 M proves is that really, it can’t be done.

Well, we guess it wasn’t so mixed after all and didn’t expect any less from Sir Clarkson. We so look forward to his BMW X6 ActiveHybrid test drive……

Full Article here

Same as with the previous comparison, the X5 M takes the crown and its endorsement is even larger when coming from C&D.  But before we jump into their review, let’s have a look at each car’s technical specs:

First Place: BMW X5 M

The first all-wheel-drive BMW made by the Motorsport division, X5 M is powered by 4.4 liter V8 twin-scroll turbo engine that outputs 555 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 rpm. It weighs 5,329 lbs and runs four seconds flat to 60 mph, 100 mph in 10 seconds, and the quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds at 112 mph. Braking performance—162 feet from 70 mph.

Second Place: Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

The top dog in the Cayenne line-up is powered by a direct-injection, 4.8-liter twin-turbo aluminum V8, outputs 550 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque from 2,250 rpm. Runs from 0 to 60  mph in 4.1 seconds, 12.6 at 112 mph in the quarter-mile, 17.8 seconds to 130 mph. Braking performance—158 feet from 70 mph. Weight – 5,305 lbs

Third Place: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

SRT8 uses Chrysler’s 6.1-liter pushrod Hemi, a naturally aspirated engine. It has the lowed horsepower out of the four vehicles tested, 420 and 420 lb-ft of torque from 4,800 rpm. Still to 60 mph is reported in 4.4 seconds, 13.2 at 104 mph in the quarter-mile. Braking performance – 176 feet from 70 mph. Weight – 4,768 lbs.

Fourth Place: Rang Rover Sport Supercharged

The engine of choice is the new supercharged and intercooled 5.0-liter, aluminum V8, the same engine used in the Jaguar XFR sedan. Total horsepower? 510. Torque? 461 lb-ft of torque from 2,500 rpm. It reaches 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, 100 mph in 12.4 seconds, 13.7 seconds at 104 mph in the quarter-mile. Braking performance – 174 feet. Weight – 5,840 lbs, the heaviest in the test.

The full review can be found at Car and Driver and it should make for an interesting read.

The X5 M has size, speed, handling, dynamics and still features little off road capabilities. And the 0-60 mph in only 4.5 seconds…..well, that’s the cherry on the cake. We have to admit that BMW Motorsport division has done their homework with these first M SUVs and we still believe the sale numbers will be more than satisfactory. If the future reviews continue to be positive, Mercedes and Porsche will have a lot to worry about.

For those of you that might not recall, the BMW X5 M and X6 M are powered by a 4.4 liter V8 twin-turbo engine outputting 555 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 500 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 to 5,650 rpm. The engine uses the twin-scroll twin turbo technology with High Precision Direct Injection.

We’re anxiously waiting for our X5 M and looking forward to the thrill and excitement we’ve encountered while testing the X6 M on track back in July. It was our “first date” with the new Ms and it was a sweet one. Some may call it love on first sight, others may refer to it as “fanboyism”, but truth is that it’s really hard to explain in words the experience behind the wheel and the best thing one can do…. is to actually drive them.

Now if BMW will include them in the M Performance School program, we will make sure to book the first flight out to Spartanburg.

But will the X5 M match this performance?

“After driving the 2010 BMW X5 M, there were numerous subtitles for this story bouncing around in our head. Because it was only a handful of years ago, when BMW introduced the 2004 X5 4.8is, that it said, “There will never be an M version of the X5,” we were tempted to write, “Never Say Never.”

One blast down the drag strip in this 555-horsepower breadbox in Monte Carlo Blue had us shouting, “12-second SUV!” If we believed the rumor (and we don’t) that one of the primary reasons for the X5 M’s existence is to satisfy the conspicuously well-funded market among the mobsters in Russia, then we could’ve run with “From Russia With Love.”

Finally, one serene drive home on L.A.’s notoriously poorly constructed freeways where we discovered this X5 M’s ride was far better than that of our long-term 2008 BMW X5 4.8i almost compelled us to put down, “Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde.”

A New M
It’s not an accident that the newly M-bedazzled X5 has the ability to be both a remarkable performance machine and a completely livable grocery getter. If you had no knowledge of the record-breaking performance potential contained within the X5 M, you’d never know it had a dual personality.

Full Article Continued

P.S. Our own review will soon be available

BMW X5 M is powered by a tuned up 4.4 liter V8 M engine delivering 555 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 500 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 to 5,650 rpm. The engine uses the twin-scroll twin turbo technology with High Precision Direct Injection.

By positioning the twin-scroll turbochargers together with the catalytic converters in the “V” section between the cylinders, it minimizes the turbo lag and offers better fuel efficiency.

The M X models come equipped with Dynamic Performance Control, special M suspensions and Adaptive Drive, along with a new Servotronic power steering and Active Roll Stabilization system. Other available options are: Head Up Display, Rear View Camera and High Beam Assistant.

BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M run from 0-60 mph in ONLY 4.5 seconds, making the M twins the fastest SUV/SAVs out there.

The 6-speed M Sports Automatic transmission is featured for the first time on a BMW M vehicle. There are two other modes available beside the regular Drive, Sport and M Manual. Gears can be manually shifted through the paddles located on the M steering wheel.

Due to the M Suspension, the BMW X6 M and X5 M are sitting about 0.4 inch lower compared to the regular models. The M twins sit on 20-inch light-allow whels and runflat tires: 275/40 at the front and 315/30 at the rear.

In the U.S., the base price for the BMW X5 M is set at $85,400

[Source: Bimmerschwag ]

Part of M Power Tour events, BMW will display their first xDrive Motorsport models ever built: the BMW X5 M and X6 M. Courtesy of Rboosted717, a member of Xoutpost, we have some real life photos X5M/X6M photos to share with you. Also, in a conversation with a BMW M specialist, he learned that the X5M/X6M models will have three special colors: red, blue and black, but the standard color pallet will also be available.

The next M Power Tour event will take place this Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, at the BMW Designworks USA headquarters in Newbury Park, CA.

There is also another thing we would like to share with you. Last month, BMW’s European Delivery desk informed us that for those U.S. customers interested in taking delivery of a BMW at the Welt Center in Munich, they will automatically receive a free M track day behind the X5M/X6M models in Salzburg, Austria.

The first U.S. xDrive M models will be available in October. The BMW X5 M has a base price of $85,400 while the X6 M is priced at $88,900.

[For more information from these events, visit Xoutpost.com ]

As mentioned earlier by us, the BMW X5 M shares the same engine with the X6 M model, a new M twin-turbo engine which uses a common exhaust manifold joining both rows of cylinders, with the turbochargers and catalytic converters placed in the V-section. The result? Less turbo lag and a more direct response.

The BMW X5 M and X6 M are the first Motorsport all-wheel-drive models coming out of the Munich factory gates. We’re not looking at a regular AWD system though, but rather a combination of the Dynamic Performance Control system and the xDrive.

BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M come as standard with air suspension and self-leveling on the rear axle as well as Adaptive Drive with electronically adjustable dampers and active anti-roll control for higher stability.

Both models feature Bi-xenon dual headlights including a daytime driving light function.

Being a true M model, the BMW X5 M comes equipped with high-performance brakes combined with inner-vented lightweight brake discs. The X5 M sits on 20 inch wheels, which in my opinion, are slightly smaller than we want to.

Moving inside, the design is all about the M brand, starting with M sport seats, M steering wheel, M entry trim and footrest and finishing with a beautiful M shifter.

Same as the X6 M, due to the 555 horsepower coming out of the M engine, the BMW X5 M reaches 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, putting the Porsche Cayenne S on the spot.