[Mark]

Currently sitting atop BMW’s X5 range is the 4.8is but if these latest spy shots are anything to go by there may be a new top dog in the X5 lineup and this one could get an ‘M’ badge. A performance SUV doesn’t really fit in with the M philosophy of increased performance through reduced weight but the allure of the two-ton sports market could be too strong even for BMW and its famed M division to resist.


After witnessing Porsche and AMG rack up thousands of sales with their respective Cayenne and ML models, BMW is now primed to launch its own high-performance version of the X5 SUV. We now have images of a prototype version of such a car being offloaded from a truck in Germany.

The test-mule was sporting a pair of quad exhaust pipes, which suggest it’s a new high-displacement model. Other details revealing there’s a new powertrain being developed included a funny warning message spotted inside the car to remind drivers that running the engine for longer than 30 minutes will cause it to go ‘kaput’.

There are two schools of thought on which engine will power the new car. Some suggest the 5.0L V10 from the M5 could make its way into the X5 but officials have previously stated that engine would be reserved for the M5 and M6 only. The alternative is a new twin-turbo 4.4L petrol V8 engine currently in development with a rumored output of around 430hp (331kW) and 600Nm of torque.


Source: MotorAuthority