If our sources are accurate, and they usually are, BMW will take the wraps off the facelifted X5 M as early as next month. Meanwhile, there’s still time to promote the current high-performance SUV by showcasing the spicy Competition model in Munich at the BMW Welt. Much like all the cars displayed there, it’s a high-end version wearing fancy Individual paint.
The X5 M is dressed to impress in Sepang Bronze and rides on two-tone wheels (809 M) measuring 21 inches at the front and 22 inches at the rear. These are among the biggest alloys offered by BMW, only topped by the 23-inch set you can have on the newly introduced XM plug-in hybrid SUV where they can be optionally had with gold accents.
Carrying the 50 years of M anniversary roundels, this BMW X5 M Competition also has the Shadowline exterior upgrade that blacks out the kidney grille, roof rails, and other parts of the vehicle. Laser headlights and carbon side mirror caps round off the visible upgrades on the outside. The cabin is just as fancy by featuring a full Merino leather ivory upholstery from the Individual catalog.
The X5 M has already entered the 2023 model year in the United States, which means the upcoming Life Cycle Impulse will be offered as a 2024MY. The LCI will bring evolutionary styling and the switch to BMW’s latest-generation iDrive infotainment system. Underneath the hood, the engineers will switch to the S68 engine, a mild-hybrid 4.4-liter V8 also with a pair of turbochargers and 600 horsepower on tap.
The flagship X5 is said to become a Competition-only model in the US, much like the swoopy X6. BMW will install the new engine in the X5/X6 M60i to serve as a replacement for the M50i version and therefore echo the same move made by the X7’s M Performance version for the 2023MY.
Source: rsDrive / YouTube
