X5 & X6 M Versions Official Info

[FlatBlackCaddy]

It is very likely this engine or a close variation will power the next M5.

The only good news to come from all this, and the M5's tune better have more power(not much, but a bump to 570 or 580 would be nice).

[omicron]

Pre-production X5/6M driven by Wheels for their April issue:

''Nailed from rest on one of the few clear tarmac surfaces up here, the X6M is shockingly fast for such a deliberately solid, heavy-feeling car. A fat, instant gob of torque hits all four wheels and makes the nose rear up before booting the car off the mark, the needle surging evenly to the 7000rpm redline, where a smooth, quick change briefly knocks it back. The pace is definitely there; the standard 300kW X6 hits 100km/h in 5.4sec, and these cars' main rivals, the Merc ML63 AMG and Porsche Cayenne Turbo manage it in five dead. The X6M feels quicker still, maybe by a fifth of a second, but more tellingly a BMW engineer let slip that the X6M is fractionally quicker around the Nurburgring than a current M3. We're not sure if we believe him, but we're going to enjoy finding out.

But the way pace is generated is unfamiliar in a BMW. The aristocratic, slightly manic engines in M cars usually require you to work them and their gearbox hard, for which you're rewarded with an edgy metallic rasp which speaks of high crank speeds and fine tolerances. This X6M is more like an AMG used to be, before AMG ironically went naturally aspirated. You just floor the gas, get a deep, loud burble overlaid with a little crackle on the overrun and instant, any-gear, any-revs thrust; more FPV F6 than V10 M5.

Limit handling is difficult to assess on sheet ice but there's clearly a lot right with the chassis and driveline of each car. With winter tyres and all aids engaged they turn and accelerate almost as if they're on tarmac. Like other M cars, the M button on the wheel allows you to choose your power output (300 or 395kW), damper setting and stability control level; all on, a Dynamic mode, allowing greater freedom to get the tail out, and all-off. In the latter, and in these conditions, you can feel the torque going to the rear axle and staying there as the cars pull long, composed drifts of which they show little sign of wishing to pull themselves out.

Any vagueness in the throttle, brakes or steering is magnified on ice, but the X5M and X6M are capable of absorbing and executing the most delicate instruction. Haters of sporty SUVs used to be able to fall back on the argument that a big wagon would always drive infinitely better, or they could until the X6 arrived. The standard version steers with near-unbelieveable precision and security. Sending mroe pwoer to the rear axle seems to make it better yet, and makes overpowered SUVs a little harder to find absurd.

So what do we make of these cars? They're going to be titanically fast. They're probably going to redefine wha, again, how well you thought an SUV could drive. They are not going to feel as bespoke as M cars have until now. Dynamically - simple speed excepted - they will have little in common with an M3 or M5, but hint heavily at how future versions of those cars will be powered. They will also be among the least relevant cars to be launched this year, and we suspect they'll be an infrequent sight outside of Miami or Dubai. We still wonder why you'd pick an X6M over the already damned-quick X6 V8, or any X6 over an X5, or any X5 over a 5 Series wagon. But we can't help but like these two for standing facing into the overwhelming grey-green tide of public opinion, middle fingers extended, misguided, brave.....and probably doomed.''

[the Teuton]

Who all has driven an X5 or X6?  Out of the two, the X6 drive amazingly well for such a large vehicle.  It drives better than a lot of sedans.

I have a feeling that seems like it's going to be confirmed, that this thing is going to be a monster.

[MrH]

These cars won't be faster than an E92 M3 around the 'Ring, but it will be faster than an E46 M3.  That guy misquoted the BMW salesman.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

These cars won't be faster than an E92 M3 around the 'Ring, but it will be faster than an E46 M3.  That guy misquoted the BMW salesman.

Speed is one thing, but i'd like to find one BMW fan(or buyer in general) that would actually think the X/M FEELS better than a E46 M3 in any driving situation.

Ladies start your engines!!!!!

We all know who the target market is for these, and it isn't your typical M buyer.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Also they DAMN WELL BETTER make a M7 now, i'll be pissed if they skip the M'ization of the 7 series and put out these bastards.

[MrH]

If I won the lottery, an X5 M would be a pretty bad ass person hauler.

[MexicoCityM3]

Who all has driven an X5 or X6?  Out of the two, the X6 drive amazingly well for such a large vehicle.  It drives better than a lot of sedans.

I have a feeling that seems like it's going to be confirmed, that this thing is going to be a monster.

I have driven the X5 3.0si & 4.8si, and recently the X6 3.0TT.

The X5s I drove didn't have the suspension goodies (active roll stabilization, active steering, self leveling suspension). The 3.0i handled better than the V8, both pretty well for their size but that's it. An X3 handles better than either.

The X6 had all the goodies plus the DPC trick differential. I drove it all the way from Valle de Bravo to Mexico City (about 100km of mountain roads). The handling on it is simply unbelievable. It felt as composed as a 3 series as hard as that may seem to believe.