When BMW brought out the new X5 M, we knew that some things needed to be different. We’re not talking about the exterior design here as that was an obvious pick but rather about the specs and performance of the uber-SUV.
The Germans delivered, installing the most powerful plant they ever developed into the X5 M, a revised version of the S63Tu engine that was taken to 575 HP and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque. At least that’s what they claim the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 makes at the crank.
As we all know, the Germans have been tricky in the past, underrating their cars for various purposes. We never expected anything different in this case either. Therefore, when we heard the guys from iND Distribution put one to the test on a proper dyno, our interest was tickled.
The result? Well, according to the measurements made at the AMS Performance dyno showed 535 HP and 554 lb-ft of torque at the wheels! That’s an impressive number, especially since this car is all-wheel drive.
That’s because some of the power made by the engine is usually lost on the way due to the transmission. The fewer parts it goes through, the less is lost. With all-wheel drive models, there are more moving parts involved so usually there’s more power lost.
However, considering the advancements in the field lately we could say that, at most, 15% of the power was lost on the way. That means the S63 engine on the X5 M has around 615 HP and 637 lb-ft (864 Nm) of torque at the crank and that’s ... well, more than impressive.
Thanks to the new 8-speed gearbox, the new M SUV accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds despite its 2.3 ton weight. The same goes for the X6 M in case you were wondering.
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