Master of Illusion
FIRST DRIVE I 2020 BMW X5 MWORDS DEREK POWELLO
nce, 600 horsepower was the exclusive
bastion of exotic cars. Now enters the
2020 BMW X5 M, muscling its way
into these lofty ranks in the shape of
a five-passenger SUV. Does that make it a
sports car? BMW believes so, presenting
the $106,095 X5 M as a “track-capable”
vehicle that just happens to weigh (and
cost) as much as two actual sports cars.
Based on powertrain alone, the 4.4-liter
twin-turbo V-8 makes a good case for this
claim. The X5 M cranks out an even 600
horsepower and a stout 553 lb-ft of torque
available between 1,850 and 5,690 rpm.
That’s a 33-hp bump over last year’s model,along with a peak torque band that’s
almost 1,100 rpm wider. X5 M Compe-
tition models feature an additional 17
hp at the same 6,000 rpm, as well as 200
rpm more of peak torque at the top end.
All that power is transferred through an
eight-speed automatic to all four wheels.
Helping keep the X5 M shiny side
up is a prolific array of standard driver
assistance systems, accessible through
the latest iteration of BMW’s iDrive
system. BMW refers to the 12.3-inch
touchscreen interface as Live Cockpit
Professional, which, despite its name,
does not offer a karaoke app. Instead, the
system focuses on connected person-
alization, allowing drivers to take their
preferences from one BMW to another
via cloud access.
Endless configuration is also a hall-
mark of M cars, and the X5 M doesn’t
disappoint in this regard. Drivers
can tinker with a variety of settings,
including steering, suspension, throttle
response, and even braking effort. Two
all-wheel-drive modes offer the choice ofmaximum traction or a more rear-biased
system. Tragically, there’s no drift mode.
It’s just as well, since this pointlessly enter-
taining feature is best limited to the M5.
Perhaps that level of hoonery is a bridge
too far, even for BMW engineers.
If acceleration is what you’re after, the
X5 M is a handsomely rewarding beast.
BMW estimates a 3.8-second sprint from
0 to 60, with Competition models lopping
off another tenth of a second. That broad
torque curve provides abundant power on
request from even the gentlest prod of the
throttle, and the transmission is always66 MOTORTREND.COM JUNE 2020