Article Abstract
- The S68 twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 might energy the X5 M60, making no less than 523 hp. Perforated brake pads and quad pipes in spy pictures affirm real efficiency improvement, not simply cosmetics.
- The fifth-gen X5 hits Spartanburg meeting in August 2026, with the M Efficiency variant rumored in March 2027.
- Inside will get full Neue Klasse remedy with 17.9-inch central show and panoramic imaginative and prescient show.
The fifth-generation BMW X5, codename G65, is coming. We’ve identified this for some time, however the newest spy pictures of an alleged X5 M60 prototypes give us actual perception into what’s truly going to reach when manufacturing begins on the Spartanburg plant in August 2026. The excellent news: there nonetheless may be a V8. The unhealthy information: it most likely received’t make it to all international markets.
Trying on the newest prototypes, the rumored G65 X5 M60 is clearly being engineered as a official high-performance variant. The perforated brake pads seen within the spy pictures counsel BMW is lastly testing the high-performance M Efficiency brakes as an possibility—a big improve that signifies real efficiency improvement. The quad exhaust pipes are one other inform. These was once unique to full M automobiles, however these days BMW has been spreading them throughout M Efficiency fashions.
That visible design strains up with what’s probably occurring below the hood. BMW is maintaining the twin-turbo 4.4-liter S68 V8 alive for the subsequent era of automobiles so it’s not stunning that the X5 M60 might get the identical powerplant, no less than in some markets. The present X5 M50i with that very same engine makes 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Anticipate the M60 to hit no less than these numbers, probably extra.
A Nameplate Change
Right here’s the refined however essential shift: BMW has been dropping the “i” from its gasoline-powered mannequin names. You’ve already seen this with the X3 M50, and it’s rolling throughout the lineup. It’s a small change that displays a much bigger actuality: BMW’s future is more and more electrical. The “i” designation, traditionally BMW’s means of denoting gasoline injection, now primarily seems on electrical fashions (i7, i5, i4, iX). Eradicating it from fuel engines looks as if simply administrative housekeeping to raised differentiate between merchandise.
Inside Will get the Neue Klasse Therapy
Inside, the brand new G65 X5 is getting the complete new-generation BMW remedy. Meaning iDrive X, the brand new central show measuring 17.9 inches, and BMW’s Panoramic Imaginative and prescient Show stretching throughout the dashboard. It’s the identical inside route we’ve seen on the brand new iX3 and is coming to extra fashions as Neue Klasse parts roll out.
There’s additionally one thing fascinating within the spy pictures: a second display peeking from the passenger aspect. It may very well be an engineering laptop computer used throughout testing, or it may very well be the rumored passenger show that’s anticipated on high-end fashions. If it’s the latter, that might mark one other shift—extra screens, extra customization, extra digital integration throughout the cabin.
On the surface, we count on to see the Neue Klasse design with a small kidney grille flanked by a big housing for the lights. We’re listening to from our sources that BMW plans to supply the brand new X5 with completely different gentle signatures, together with one with an “X” form.
Manufacturing Timeline
Manufacturing of the fifth-gen X5 begins in August 2026. Some sources say that the M Efficiency variant received’t hit the meeting line till March 2027, however that’s but to be confirmed by the corporate. The truth is, we received’t study extra in regards to the subsequent X5 till Spring.
The perfect half is that if the X5 M60 is getting a V8, it’s an announcement that BMW isn’t utterly abandoning conventional powertrains in its high-performance SUVs. So there’s a probability that future merchandise just like the G66 X6 and G67 X7 will get it as properly.
