Sporty variant also gets different quad-tip exhaust layout
Our spy photographer just snapped the upcoming BMW X5 M up close at a red light in BMW’s home country of Germany. The current BMW X5 will be replaced by the soon-to-be-released 2019 X5 that our photographer also recently caught testing.
The 2010 BMW X5 M was the first X5 M making an impressive 555 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque from a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8. For 2015, BMW released the second-generation X5 M packing a different version of the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 pumping out 567 hp and 553 lb-ft. Once released, the third-generation X5 M will likely utilize yet another version of BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, making about 600 hp just like the redesigned 2018 BMW M5.
When we took the 2015 BMW X5 M to the track, the SUV hit 60 mph in a very impressive 3.7 seconds, on its way to a quarter mile time of 12.2 seconds at 112.8 mph. The upcoming X5 will be built on the lighter CLAR platform shared with the new 5 Series and 7 Series, so we can expect quicker acceleration, possibly exceeding the 3.5- and 12.0-second marks, respectively.
As we have seen before when BMW redesigns a vehicle, not a whole lot changes on the outside. This seems to be the case with the X5 M. Right away we notice the much larger kidney grille that we first saw on the BMW X7 iPerformance Concept, and the quad-tip tailpipes that have been pushed out closer to the sides of the rear bumper. The headlights and taillights appear to have been redesigned and we can see a front camera and radar for driver-assist safety technologies. Peeking through the mismatched black wheels shod in Michelin winter tires are big blue M brakes, with what looks like six-piston calipers up front clamping down on drilled rotors.
The regular X5 will likely be released later this year with the X5 M following soon after.
Photo source: CarPix