BMW X5 M Competition & BMW X6 M Competition Are Now Hybrid Performance SUVs

You know BMW means business when the word ‘Competition’ is added to the moniker of one of its models. And that’s exactly what the new BMW X5 M Competition and the new BMW X6 M Competition mean – business. The two facelifted SUVs are the freshest bimmers on the block, revealed only a couple of weeks post the debut of their standard iterations. Let’s see what the two high-performance vehicles are all about:

Design 

Both the BMW X5 M Competition and the new BMW X6 M Competition take the recipe of their respective standard avatars and up the ante on the aggressiveness of their style. Yeah, the sleeker headlight setup with dual arrow-shaped DRLs that double up as turn indicators are there, but everything else around it is new.

No, the prevalent kidney grilles aren’t new, but the horizontal bars à la the XM, inside them are. Both grilles are finished in all-black, however, the standard X6 gets that as standard. If you look carefully, you’ll notice that the outline of lower air dams going up to the kidney grille forms an X-shaped pattern, and also the side air dams are considerably bigger with four edges replacing the slim vertical opening on the standard models.

The 21-inch M-spec alloy wheels at the front and 22-inch M-spec alloy wheels at the rear are offered as standard fitment, while forged alloy wheels in the same dimensions are an optional extra. Apart from the wheels, the side profile is more or less the same. But come to the rear and the twin exhaust pipes sitting on either side of the reworked bumper make sure to accentuate the sportiness of the SUVs. 

Cabin

The curved displays, including the 12.3-inch infotainment system and a 14.9-inch diagonal instrument cluster integrated on the same glass bezel, make way here from the standard SUVs. The M-guise cabin features a leather steering wheel with carbon gearshift paddles behind, standard M-guise multifunction seats, knee pads, M logo graphics, and a full fine-grain Merino leather trim. 

Powertrain

The BMW X5 M Competition and the BMW X6 M Competition will go down in history books as the first M performance models to use a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The system is paired with a 4.4‑litre twin-turbo V8 engine cranking out 625PS and 750Nm, which is the same output as the outgoing model. The electric motor is integrated within the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and has an output of 12PS and 200Nm.

Surprisingly, both SUVs do the nought to 100kmph sprint in the same time – 3.9 seconds – even after accounting for the extra weight that the X6 Competition hauls. The standard M Sport exhaust system with electrically controlled flaps will make sure that the visual sensation of the speeds you’ll be doing is matched equally with a sense of auditory gratification. 

And for the ones that love their sideways action, BMW has fitted an active differential at the rear axle, which makes the SUVs’ all-wheel drivetrain rear-wheel-biassed, allowing for controlled drifts. It also gets a quicker steering rack, stiffer springs, upgraded brakes and a stiffer chassis setup for a more immersive handling experience. 

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The performance SUV duo could make their way to India post the launch of their standard iterations sometime in 2023. While the X5 M Competition will fight it out with the Audi RS Q8, Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 and Porsche Cayenne, the X6 M Competition will be a rival to the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe, Audi RS Q8 and Lamborghini Urus.