The BMW X5 M, with that beastly 555bhp 4.8-litre V8 under its bonnet, was one of the best long-termers we’ve had in our garage, impressing us with phenomenal performance that belied its massive heft.
So you can imagine how delightful this set of images from our spy in Germany looked to us when it popped up in our inbox.
Although we had seen the 2014 X5 prototype being tested earlier this year, this is the first time we’ve got hold of the M version in action.
Spotted on the streets right outside M GmbH in Munich, the super-SUV test mule was heavily camouflaged as you can see.
However, there’s no hiding the new bumpers front and rear, the quad exhausts and the extrawide tyres.
Although not clear in the pics, our man tells us that it sports the new blue M-brakes that we’ve already seen in the M5 and the prototype M3.
Expected to be out by the end of 2013 or early 2014, the X5 M, like its lesser sibling, can only be a better handling SUV as it benefits from the superb chassis of the F10 5 Series on which it’s loosely based.
Keep watching this space as we’ll be bringing you more images and drivetrain details as they come in.
