After having driven the new BMW X5, we were very excited about the prospect of a proper M version. Its new chassis is sorted, agile and more than capable enough to handle a lot of extra power. So we’re impatiently waiting the arrival of such a car. Thankfully, to semi-quench our thirst, some new spy photos have surfaced, showing off the BMW X5 M having some fun at the ‘Ring. (We don’t own the spy photos but they can be seen here)
From what we can tell in these photos, the BMW X5 M looks about as we expected it to. So it takes a standard X5 and adds a more aggressive front fascia with larger air intakes, massive wheels, a lowered ride height, a roof spoiler, M-style mirrors and quad exhausts. So it looks properly M-ified.
It also looks quite good. This new X5’s design language works really well in M-guise and we think it’s going to look significantly better than the car it replaces, despite that being a good looking car in its own right. It’s big and brutish but also smooth and handsome.
Under the hood will be a 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8, likely borrowed from the BMW M5. While there’s no official word on power or performance just yet, it’s likely that it will pack around 600 hp. There will also likely be a Competition model that will pack some more power, probably somewhere around the 617 hp from the M5 Competition. That should make it good for 0-60 mph in around 3.5 seconds, which would be about half a second faster than the outgoing car.
The BMW X5 M has always been a hilarious brute; a dancing elephant that’s far more athletic than it looks. While that’s not exactly the most M-like car one can imagine, it’s charming nevertheless. So we can’t wait to see the new X5 M without any camo and we really can’t wait to drive it.
[Source: Car Scoops]
