2015 BMW X5 M first drive

Back in 2009, when BMW launched the first X5 M, purists were not pleased. The hallowed M Division had always said "no" to anything other than rear-wheel drive and yet here was a bulky, behemoth of an SUV, carrying that famous letter.

Well, with the launch of the second-generation, it’s time to accept that the X5 M is here to stay.

The 4.4-litre direct injection twin-turbo V8 now produces a whopping 567bhp and 553lb ft of torque. That’s 20bhp and 51lb ft up on the previous version, and even more potent than the similarly engined M5. Perhaps more pertinently, it’s also more powerful than either a Range Rover Sport SVR or Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Despite weighing in at a hefty 2275kg, the extra power coupled to four-wheel drive means that the X5 M can out-accelerate an M5 by a tenth of a second. It will now go from 0-62mph in just 4.2 seconds. By comparison, the SVR can manage only 4.7 seconds, although the Cayenne gets closer with a time of 4.5 seconds.

With that in mind, there can be no doubt about the X5 M’s pace. However, is it merely a one-trick pony, or does it have the range of abilities to win over those who still believe it shouldn’t exist at all?

First, the engine is a belter. Okay, there is some 1980s-style turbo lag, so you find yourself mentally counting down the seconds to lift-off like one of NASA’s launch controllers. However, once those twin-scroll blowers spin up, it almost feels like it's rocket fuelled.This means that it fires through the lower gears while the rev needle flicks round almost instantly to the redline. So much so, in fact, that it makes the gearchange indicator in the head-up display (when you’re in M Mode) almost vital if you are to avoid consistently running into the limiter.

There are aural delights, too, which encourage those completely childish but entirely necessary window-down moments. Compared with the thundering baritone note of the SVR, the X5 M has a harder-edged, racier sound, punctuated by mini explosions after every gear change.

You can adjust the speed of those gear changes to match your mood. Set the 'box to auto, dial back the change speed and it’ll slur its way through the eight available ratios. Alternatively, opt for the quickest setting and switch the gearbox to manual and it’s comparable with most of the dual-clutch systems out there for speed and precision.

So, can the chassis cope with all this immense firepower? Absolutely. Set the adaptive suspension to its maximum Sport Plus mode and the body control is phenomenal; the amount of lean is minimal and the car stays composed even over undulating roads or under extreme braking.

Admittedly, you can’t be precise in the way you can in an M3, for example, but when you remind yourself of the mass that is sitting a foot and a half above the Tarmac, you can’t fail to be impressed.

BMW claims the X5 M will pull 1.2g in corners, and I can believe it. The huge bespoke tyres (our test car had the optional 21in wheels with 285/35 Michelins at the front and 325/30s at the rear) produce astonishing levels of grip.

When it does let go it’s the front that gives way first, although you can unsettle the rear with a well-timed stab of throttle. Keep it neat, with sensible corner-entry speeds, and it’s all very manageable. Be warned, however: if you try and carry too much speed into a turn, the inertia of the X5 M can carry you a long way off-line before grip is restored.