The New BMW X5 M And X6 M Are Monstrous SUVs With M5 Firepower

If you’ve ever looked at the M5 and thought: ‘well, that’s nice, but I need the same thing with a little more ground clearance and a dash of ostentatiousness,’ we have good news - BMW’s got you covered. Yep, the current X5 and X6 SUVs have undergone the M Division treatment, and both have been garnished with the M5’s 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8.

Of course, the old X5 and X6 Ms had pretty much the same engine, but you get more power and torque in the new versions; 567bhp and 552lb ft, in fact. The latter figure is actually a heady 52lb ft more than you get in the M5.

Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic gearbox, launching you from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Not quite enough? You can have the limiter raised to 174mph, if you so wish. The official combined economy figure, meanwhile, is 25.4mpg.

Compared to other X5s and X6s, the pair get firmer suspension which is 10mm lower, plus a self-levelling air system at the rear. With over two tonnes of ludicrously fast SUV to stop, BMW has suitably beefed up the brakes with six-piston fixed callipers at the front, and single-pot floating callipers at the rear.

The price for all this? When the cars arrive in the UK next April, you’ll need £90,170 for the X5 M, and £93,070 X6 M. Unless you’re a bit odd and like the way the X6 looks, we recommend you go for the 5 - you could buy a holiday with the cash you save.