he BMW X5 M is a rather interesting motor. For many the car ticks all the boxes of what you don’t want a sporting BMW to be. That’s saying that it is big and heavy and most obviously, a SUV. Even so, the vehicle is incredibly quick as well which is something that appeals to many of us.
For a lot of well-off buyer this means not a lot however. After many years of having all their needs met by manufacturers and marketers, they see the concept of a 5299-pound luxury family wagon together with normal every day utility and outstanding performance numbers as a completely reasonable suggestion.
Big M Power
The first sport model to come with an “M” to its name from BMW was launched in 2010 which was a couple of years into the second-generation X5 life cycle. It comes as no surprise that BMW X5 M received first place at a few of the high-performance SUV face-offs and therefor has raised the standard for this new X5 M.
To make things even more extreme, BMW fitted the newest model with its new 4.4-liter V-8. This together with a couple of twin-scroll turbochargers and variable valve timing and lift, it has the ability to produce 567 horsepower which is an improvement from the last X5 M’s 4.4-liter V-8 by 12 together with the torque increase of 53lb-ft to 553. It may seem as though you have heard these numbers before and that could be because the slope-backed BMW X6 M has the same engine underneath its bonnet.
The vehicle also shares its 115.5-inch wheelbase and a suspension tuned for M-level dynamics with the X6 M. What sts the X5 M apart from the base X5 are the stiffer springs, firmer brushings, revised upper wishbones with modified geometry as well as a 10-millimeter drip in height. Tthe X5 M and the X6 M both include a self-leveling rear air suspension and the unique 21-inch wheels are a formality.
You Buy it, You Beat It
Driving the X5 M in a polite way should in theory be more than possible. The interior of the vehicle has been fitted with $2900 full Merino leather upholstery, a $4500 Exectutive package, including ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, head-up display, rear window shades and more and a $3700 Bang & Olufsen audio system and these features would surely encourage drives to behave sensible.
The thing is though that once who have experienced the V-8’s torque rush that wonderful interior of the vehicle just makes you want to run riot. The vehicle has the ability to go from zero to 60mph in only 3.8 seconds and the quarter-mile flashes by in 12.3, allowing the BMW to reach 115mph.All 553 lb-ft of torque is present and taken account for by 2200 rpm.
To ensure that some sort of order remains, remember that the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S did the same thing in 4.1 and 12.5 seconds and theMercedes-Benz ML63 AMG in 4.2 and 12.6. Going by these figures, the X5 M is the winner of the luxury SUVs. Change is always happening though and these makers are constantly inclusing more powerful models into their range. Earlier on this year Porsche’s 570-hp 2016 Cayenne Turbo S hit the market and not running too far behind is the 577-hp Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe, even though this vehicle is more of a X6 M rival).
The X5 M includes a new eight-speed torque-converter automatic which unfortunately still takes a number of uses for you to get the hang of it. For when you feel like it you have the option of using steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, however the transmission is far more than capable of running off shifts by itself, even though during full-force upshifts the exhaust note does make a noise similar to a NASCAR-grade impact wrench.
Pretty Darned Amazing Grace
If you turn the steering wheel quickly then the X5 M will steer into that direction with the same alacrity that you would expect to see from afar lighter vehicle. The body motions stay controlled and the large vehicle opertates smoothly doing things which would have caused drivers to quit what they were doing in the SUVs that were around only a numbe of years previously. The Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires (285/35 front, 325/30 rear) may make a lot of noise whilst travelling over harsh expansion joints, however impacts are isolated and don’t at any point cause distress to the chassis, the directional stability, or most crucially the feeling of invisibility provided to the person driving the vehicle. Credit has to be given to the xDrive system and Dynamic Performance Control. The first constantly uses up to 100 percent of the torque available to the front and the rear axles as is required and the latter has the sole purpose on attempting to even the torque out between the two rear wheels to help optimize traction and keep understeer in control. The X5 M did better that expected again whilst on the skidpad, doing 0.96g which is a lateral-acceleration number that places the vehicle up there in the same range as genuine sports cars. Braking excelled as well, with the stop from 70mph needing only 152 feet. (Just to mention, the Porsche Cyenne Turbo S managed 0.90g on the skidpad and needed 156 feet to stop when it was travelling at 70 mph).
We also have the mention the unfortunate overall fuel economy recording of 13 mpg, however that is only a small issue really at an as-tested price of $115,495.
With a combination of its spacious and stylish interior, day to day abilities and performance figures, the X5 M manages to do all of the things that it wants to do. Although we are grateful of the lengths that BMW has gone to to create a large SUV which acts liek a sports car, opinions amongst us are somewhat divided. For those who have enough money to their name none of these qustions surrounding the existence of the BMW X5 M are important as they are just happy that the vehicle actually exists.
