By: Denis Droppa
Rosslyn - BMW South Africa has introduced steroid-stuffed M versions of the X5 and its sexier coupé cousin, the X6.
These high-performance SUVs will be able to keep up with any blue-light convoy with their twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8, an even more powerful version of the engine found in the M5 super sedan. With outputs of 423kW and 750Nm, the X5 M and X6 M are the most powerful production models sold by the German brand and makes these heffalumps quite ballistic performers despite weighing as much as small houses. It takes them just 4.2 seconds to scorch from rest to 100km/h, says BMW, and they’ll keep charging like a herd of wildebeest all the way to their electronically-governed 250km/h top speeds.
BMW claims a 20 percent fuel economy improvement compared to the previous-generation X5 and X6, with a combined town/freeway average of 11.1 litres per 100km (if not driven in blue-light convoy style).
The power’s fed via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, through an xDrive all wheel drive system that varies torque distribution between the front and rear wheels to cater for changing grip conditions, but is chiefly rear-biased to reduce understeer.
FULLY TAR-BASED
The M versions ride 10mm lower than regular X5/X6 models but the 195mm ground clearance still provides some decent pavement-straddling height.
Those low-profile 20-inch mags won’t be much use for rock-climbing in the great outdoors however; these are fully tar-based super-SUVs that come with handling enhancements such as Dynamic Drive active roll stabilisation system and Dynamic Damper Control with three suspension stiffness modes.
A high-performance cooling system and newly-developed compound brakes ensure all-weather high performance for BMW’s muscled-up X5 and X6.
Inside there’s an M specific instrument cluster while external stylistic giveaways include enlarged air intakes, four tailpipes and blue brake callipers.
The X5 M is priced at R1 657 159 and the X6 M at R1 690 659. - Star Motoring
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