BMW X5 M : TRUE GRIP

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BMW has let its famous M Sport Division loose on the X5 4x4. Steve Walker takes a look.

The very idea of a high performance luxury 4x4 rankles with a lot of people. The prospect of a high performance luxury 4x4 carrying BMW's hallowed M badge will rile plenty more, if for different reasons. There are those who don't like big, posh SUVs for the perceived damage they do to the environment, their domineering road presence or even because the people who drive them tend to have a few bob. The BMW issue is rooted in a very different palace. Namely with BMW fans who hold the company's M cars as the final word in performance. They'll view a car like the X5 M luxury 4x4 as a profit-driven devaluation of the brand. So the knives are out for this car in some quarters but there's also a lot for the neutral to like.

BMW has jealously guarded the reputation of its M cars down the years. These are the marque's ultimate performance models with the power and poise to live with some seriously exotic machinery on a race circuit. Versions of the M3 and M5 have achieved legendary status, while M badged versions of the Z3 and Z4 sports cars have offered intoxication for keen drivers the world over. But where does that leave X5 M, a two tonne SUV? Mercedes-Benz applies its equivalent AMG performance branding to all kinds of upscale luxury cars but BMW's M Sport division had always been purer in its vision. Can this pumped-up X5 live up to the famous M or is it merely a cash cow to battle the most ostentatious SUVs? Big 4x4s aren't known for their road going dynamism but in the X5, BMW builds one of the best handling examples. The car is huge but it seems to shrink to fit around its driver as a result of its direct, well weighted steering and rigid body control. It's still more leisure suit than leotard, though. The X5 M ups the anti in traditional M car style with more power and lots of it. The 4.4-litre V8 engine uses twin turbochargers to achieve its 555bhp power output and that's enough to get the X5 M off the line and through the 62mph barrier in 4.7s. That big hunk of power is distributed through the xDrive 4x4 system which uses a revised version of the Dynamic Performance Control technology to optimise traction. Rather than braking individual wheels, Dynamic Performance Control works like a differential, reducing the power fed to wheels that are losing grip for smoother results with less reduction in performance.

"The X5 M is aimed at buyers wanting the ultimate road-going luxury SUV"

The twin turbo technology in the engine bay of the X5 M produces a huge degree of flexibility. The turbos work in tandem to make the unit's 680Nm maximum torque available from 1,500rpm all the way up to 5,650rpm. The M Sport automatic gearbox has its work cut out dealing with those mighty reserves of shove but the upgraded unit should be up to the task. It can be set to Drive, Sport or Manual modes with the latter allowing gears to be selected via the steering wheel paddle shifters. There's launch control for replicating those Grand Prix starts and the independent suspension is 10mm lower than on a standard X5. Needless to say, off-road driving will not be advisable. The X5 isn't one of the more overbearing SUVs when you see it out and about. The Range Rovers, Audi Q7s and Porsche Cayennes of this world make more of a show of being large and expensive. The X5 M is a little bit different, though its 20" alloy wheels, expanded air-intakes and sculpted bumpers leave bystanders in no doubt that this is a 4x4 with extra potency. It's not all for show either. The revised aerodynamics on the X5 M produce extra downforce that drivers will be glad of when they give the 555bhp engine its head. Despite being brutally quick, the car retains much of the practicality of the standard X5s with a roomy cabin and a 620-litre boot that can be increased to 1,750 litres by folding the rear seats. Modern M cars have made a new degree of adjustability available to their owners with a host of settings through which the set-up of the car can be tweaked. The X6 M is no exception but here, the minefield of settings has been grouped together within the M Drive Manager menu system. When owners first learn that the electronic dampers, the stability control software, the steering assistance and the contents of the heads-up display can all be tinkered around with, they may feel that they need a week's training course but BMW has worked hard to make it accessible. A predetermined group of settings can be instantly engaged at the press of a single button on the steering wheel so you can instantly get sporty when a good road presents itself. The interior of the X5 M has more M badges than your local Morrisons supermarket. M Sport seats, an M leather steering wheel, M instruments and even an M footrest on which to prop your (optional) M driving shoe, are all included. The specification is as luxurious as you'd expect with dual zone climate control, heated seats, satellite navigation and 230-watt 12-speaker stereo. It's worth noting that BMW also offers an M version of its X6 M 4x4 coupe with the same powertrain but a smigeon more attitude. Safety equipment beyond the X5 M's high performance braking system includes six airbags and a set of impact activated head restraints. There will also be substantial active safety benefits to be gleaned from the advanced 4x4 system and the stability control technology that's built in. Ownership costs are never likely to be far short of extortionate on a car like this. At least they'd seem that way to most of us. The typical X5 M buyer probably has the disposable income to cope. BMW has attempted to take the edge off the thirst of the X5 M with its EfficientDynamics technology but no amount of brake energy regeneration is going to put a significant dent in the fuel consumption of this leviathan. As a result, you'll struggle to crack the 20mpg mark in everyday use and flooring the throttle on a regular basis could see that plummet to single figures. The X5 M is a car that certain groups of people won't care for much. It's the first 4x4 that BMW's M Sport division has produced and fans of the M3 and M5 will see it as a sell out. It's also unlikely to win friends with its environmental credentials. The fact is, though, that these people aren't the target market. The X5 M is aimed at buyers wanting the ultimate road-going luxury SUV. It's fearsomely fast and dripping with attitude. It also carries the kudos of the M Sport badge. That's what will give rivals at the top of the luxury 4x4 sector serious cause for concern.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: BMW X5 M
PRICE: £68,000 - on the road [est]
INSURANCE GROUP: 20 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 320g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph 4.7s / Max Speed 155mph (limited)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 18mpg (combined) [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: twin front, side and curtain airbags, BAS, Dynamic Performance Control, DSC+ stability control, ISOFIX child seat mounts
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4857/1983/1720 [est]