BMW unveiled updated versions of the X5 and X6 earlier this month and on Tuesday unveiled a high-performance version of the midsize SUV.
The updated X5 M and X6 M, which are both offered as standard on the Competition grade, both offer 617 hp, which is the same peak output as the current Competition grade. However, there’s a new V-8 under the hood. It’s still a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8, but it’s now paired to a mild-hybrid system, a first for a BMW M powertrain.
2024 BMW X5 M Competition
The mild-hybrid system sometimes provides a 12-horsepower boost, such as during off-the-line acceleration or mid-range acceleration. According to BMW, this extra boost results in a significant improvement in power delivery. When it’s not assisting the engine, the electric motor can recover energy and act as a starter motor.
Performance estimates for both SUVs include a 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed capped at 155 mph with standard equipment or 177 mph with the available M Driver’s Package.
In terms of performance, the 8-speed automatic transmission does some of the heavy lifting, too. New on the updated X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition are shorter ratios in the first three gears and a wider ratio range to help improve efficiency. An improved design of the transmission’s hydraulic controls is also said to allow for quicker gear changes.
2024 BMW X5 M Competition
In terms of handling, the all-wheel-drive system has been improved with a new traction control system called near-actuator wheel slip limitation that makes corrective inputs 10 times faster than the previous stability-control system all-wheel drive relied on. Suspension and bodywork have also been revised to increase stiffness, including the addition of shear panels and underfloor struts.
Other updates include revised toe values for the rear axle, which are said to improve agility at high speeds, and revised dampers that take into account body movements, road conditions and steering inputs to be individually adjusted.
Stopping power for the updated X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition comes from six-piston calipers with 15.6-inch rotors at the front and single-piston calipers with 15.0-inch rotors at the rear. The calipers come standard in blue paint, but can also be ordered in red or black. Standard wheels measure 21 inches in the front and 22 inches in the rear.
2024 BMW X6 M Competition
Like the regular X5 and X6, the M version has been updated with a number of styling tweaks, including the M version’s front fascia design, where the grille and central lower air intakes are finished in black and formed into an X-like shape. The X6 M Competition also features a unique spoiler. Aft are BMW M’s signature quad exhaust tips, finished in black on both models, and measuring four inches in diameter.
2024 BMW X6 M Competition
Inside, the traditional fairing above the digital gauge cluster is gone, leaving a floating 12.3-inch screen that joins a similar 14.9-inch screen for the infotainment system. The rest of the dashboard has also been updated, with fewer physical buttons now that some controls have been digitized. The central air vents have also been slimmed down and integrated into the ambient light strip lining the dashboard. Also standard is an M steering wheel with leather trim, and carbon fiber shift paddles.
The X5 M and X6 M are built alongside the X5 and X6 at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The vehicles will hit showrooms later this year as 2024 models. The 2024 X5 M is $123,295, and the 2024 X6 M is $128,195. Both figures include a $995 destination charge.