World Premiere: 2024 BMW X5 M and X6 M Competition

Slight visual refresh with new headlights, kidney grille, taillights, and bumpers, engine tech, a better interior, alongside a farewell to what is the last all-new V8 engine from BMW, a 48-volt mild-hybrid powerplant that will take BMW into the fully hybrid or fully electric era in the forthcoming years

BMW has revealed the all-new 2024 BMW X5 M and X6 M Competition models, adding drive system upgrades and electrification that result in even more responsive power delivery for its two high-performance luxury models. Both come with a slight design upgrade that enhances the aggressive look of both vehicles, but luckily with no huge kidney grilles and some design language items that make the M3 and M4 rather awkward-looking vehicles. Overall, a successful refresh that makes both vehicles stand out from the rest of the luxury high-performance SUV offerings currently on the market today.

If you were wondering, the standard BMW X5 M and X6 M are gone. Toast. Finished. You will only be able to get the Competition models from now on, and we expect full hybrid power (or maybe full electrification) to come for the next generation of both the X5 M and X6 M vehicles in the future.

Production for both models begins in April 2023, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Pricing in the U.S. market starts at $123,295 (after destination) for the X5 M Competition, whole the X6 M will come with a starting price of $127,200 (+$995 destination and handling), thus making it $4,200 more expensive than the outgoing model equipped with the Competition Package.

The first high-performance models from BMW M GmbH to feature 48V technology

The latest generation of drive technology fitted in the new BMW X5 M Competition and new BMW X6 M Competition marks the debut of 48V technology in the brand’s high-performance models. An electric motor integrated into the compact housing of the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission delivers up to 9 kW/12 hp of additional drive power and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) of torque, while also functioning as a crankshaft-mounted starter generator. The energy required for this is supplied by a 48V battery housed in the engine compartment. The battery is charged through highly efficient adaptive recuperation under braking and on the overrun.

The 48V technology joins forces with a new M TwinPower Turbo V8 engine. As well as its cross-bank exhaust manifold, the 4.4-liter unit now also features a reinforced crankshaft drive, further developed turbocharging, a new air intake duct, and an optimized oil supply system and oil separation process. It delivers a peak torque of 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) between 1,800 and 5,800 rpm and generates maximum output of 460 kW/625 hp at 6,000 rpm.

The sharper response and high-revving character of the V8 engine, together with the boost provided by the electric motor, take the performance attributes for which M cars are renowned to an even more enthralling level. The new BMW X5 M Competition and BMW X6 M Competition each accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.9 seconds. The drive system’s more effervescent nature can also be clearly felt when putting in a quick burst of speed. The standard M Sport exhaust system with electrically controlled flaps adds another layer to the performance experience with its exhilarating drive sound. New catalytic converters, meanwhile, do their bit to improve the petrol engine’s emissions performance.

Precise transfer of power: new eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, a new application of M xDrive, Active M Differential

The engine’s power is relayed to a new version of the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic that offers a choice of three shift settings in both automated and manual modes. New features include, among other things, a retuned setup and a sharper shift action.

Further adding to the distinctive performance experience offered by the new BMW X5 M Competition and BMW X6 M Competition is a newly adapted version of the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which teams up with the Active M Differential at the rear axle. The M Setup menu lets the driver switch from the default 4WD setting to 4WD Sport mode, which makes it possible to execute controlled drifts by splitting power with a distinct rear-wheel bias.

Overall, a nice LCI (Life Cycle Impulse) refresh for both vehicles, adding more performance and a better visual appeal, combined with mild-hybrid tech will ensure BMW and their high-performance models head into the future the right way. In the meantime, grab a look at the 2024 BMW X5 M and X6 M Competition in the media gallery right below.

Source: BMW AG