After Spotting The BMW X5 M In Testing, We’ve Got Questions

The fifth-generation BMW X5 is just starting to roll out, and it may be the most dramatic redesign the nameplate has ever seen. BMW made the 2027 X5 as different as can be, with Neue Klasse styling taking over the exterior, a dash-wide display reshaping the cabin, and a fully electric iX5 joining the lineup for the first time.

Even the split tailgate that X5 fans loved for generations is gone, replaced by a one-piece hatch. That leaves the car at the top of the range with a big question to answer. Now the X5 M has shown up to answer it, sort of. A camouflaged prototype was caught testing, wrapped in swirling black-and-white camo that hides most of the details. Not all of them, though.

The roof-mounted GPS antenna and blurred-out plate say test mule, while big wheels with drilled brake discs behind them say this is no ordinary X5. That is a lot to take in, and the camouflage leaves plenty of questions on the table. Here is what the spy photos show, and what we still want to find out.

From the get-go, it’s clear this X5 M prototype is wider than the standard X5. It rides on bigger wheels wrapped in fatter tires, and the black five-spoke design with drilled brake discs peeking out from behind it adds to the performance look. Focusing on the front end, the bumper also looks wider, and it seems to showcase different headlights than the regular X5.

Those could be placeholder units meant to throw curious onlookers off the scent, but they might also hint that BMW has decided to go with a different light signature for the X5 M. The grilles are another interesting detail. They look more ordinary than the ones on the standard model, with more traditional BMW kidneys that are elongated rather than tall.

Once again, this could be a placeholder, or a deliberate change to keep the factory face hidden until the car is closer to production. What is obviously different from the normal X5 are the two air outlets on the hood, a feature that is common on high-performance vehicles and usually points to extra cooling demands. The new door handles are still here, so some of the regular BMW X5’s questionable styling choices clearly carry over.

The taillights are completely disguised, but they do show the same wide light bar design as the regular X5. What also differs is the roof spoiler above the rear window, which looks more angular than the one on the standard model. Overall, the SUV looks beefier, more performance-focused, and much more aggressive than the regular X5.

Looking at the spy shots, we really can’t assess much about the X5 M’s power and performance. The fat tires, more angular spoiler, larger brakes, and big wheels do show it means business, but that is as far as the camo lets us go. History is the better guide. The X5 M often follows a similar trajectory to the BMW M5 we reviewed, as was the case with previous generations, which means it could inherit the M5’s hybrid setup. 

That V8 plug-in hybrid makes 717 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque and sends the sedan to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. BMW Blog reported that a V8-powered M Performance X5 is already confirmed for 2027. The full X5 M is a separate car, reportedly due in 2028. The same outlet’s sources put the gasoline car at roughly 600 hp, with a 48-volt mild-hybrid V8 instead of the M5’s plug-in system. The electric version is the real wild card. Reported targets run from 800 to 900 hp, and the setup is expected to have four motors. Production could start in April 2028 at BMW’s Spartanburg plant.

Whatever BMW chooses, the bar is already high. The X5 M60e plug-in hybrid, which isn’t sold in the U.S., makes 612 hp, so a full M car has to top that. The last-generation X5 M and X6 M offered 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, and BMW quoted 3.7 seconds to 60 mph for the X5 M Competition. Whether this prototype is the gasoline or the electric version, we simply don’t know, so any 0-60 figure for the new car would be a guess.