The new BMW X5 M and X6 M will be shown at the Los Angeles motor show in November 2014, showing there’s life yet in the super-sporty SUV sector. Both models arrive in British BMW showrooms in April 2015, priced from £90,170 for the X5 M and £93,070 for its squash-roofed sister.
Following on from 2009’s first-gen shockers, the new X5 and X6 breathed on by M division boast more of the good stuff – with a 10% power hike – and a commensurate drop in the nasties, with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions both tumbling by 20%.
Does the world need super-fast sports utes? No. And we’re aware many readers will find these paradoxical go-faster 4x4s something of a baffling mystery. But it’s hard not to be staggered by the raw numbers.
BMW X5 M and X6 M spec
Both models feature a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, essentially the same motor that drives the M5 super-saloon. It sends drive to all four wheels through BMW’s M Steptronic eight-speed auto ‘box.
Here the key outputs are 567bhp and 553lb ft – making this pair the most powerful BMW 4x4s ever. No kidding. And that bucketful of torque is available all the way from 2200rpm to 5000rpm…
Top speed is limited to 155mph, although this dirty duo would surely head nearer 190mph if the limiters were removed (brick aerodynamics notwithstanding). Might give those engineers at Crewe chasing the magic 200mph for their new SUV something to think about…
Other key stats released today by BMW include a 4.2sec 0-62mph sprint and the rather more useful figure of 25.4mpg combined economy and a rather profligate 258g/km CO2 rating.
Yikes. I bet these SUVs have been developed at the Nurburgring too?
They certainly have. While BMW has yet to release a laptime, it says high-speed testing at the Nordschleife ensures the X5 M and X6 M twins can cope with lateral cornering forces of 1.2g – more than enough to make little Freya very sick in the back seats on the school run.
A switchable exhaust flap means you can play at being Waitrose-sensible in the week or act out your sports car fantasies from on high when the mood takes you at the weekend. And although these are tall-riding, upright SUVs, BMW has given them a thorough sporting makeover.
Both ride 10mm lower, have new suspension geometry and tweaked steering to give them the handling responses to match the go.
We suspect, however, that the huge, poseur-friendly wheels say a lot about the X5 M and X6 M. While they come with 20in wheels as standard, you can spec 21in rims fitted with improbably chunky 325/30 R21 Michelin Pilot Super Sport UHP tyres. And we think that says quite a lot…