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BMW X4 M Rendered, Not Expected Before 2017

Rumors about a possible M version of the second Sport Activity Coupe model in BMW’s line-up have been going around even before the car was actually launched.
2017 BMW X4 M Rendering 1 photo
Photo: Top Speed
However, the President of BMW’s M division, Dr. Friedrich Nitschke still denies the possibility of such a model, at least until the F26 model goes out of production, somewhere in around 7 years time.

“I think in parallel to bring an X4 M version we are fixed in our capacity of engineering resources and therefore at the moment it is difficult for us to develop a lot of real M cars. The X4 is the sportiest version of the X3 and in the future maybe we will bring such a car, but we won’t be doing it in this model cycle,” he said for Australian magazine, Drive.

If you were to ask us, that means no M model, at least for now. There’s another possibility also: an M Performance Automobile. The new BMW division, that aims to bring a touch of M performance to regular cars is currently spurring on a couple of new models.

The M235i is the first one that springs to mind but there are also various M135i and M50d models out there that have an impressive spec sheet with matching performances. That could be the solution to our conundrum.

Earlier reports concerning the upcoming M2 claimed that the Germans are developing a new engine, that will undergo a similar procedure as the N54 unit used on the 1M Coupe.

That means that it will be based on a regular 3-liter 6-cylinder architecture but it will have more power than the stock engine. Think of it as a pumped-up alternative.

For the M2, that steroid-infused monster would do around 380 HP, plenty even for a big SUV-like car as an X4 M40i, for example. And that’s the winning choice, in our opinion. That’s exactly what we think BMW will do.

It’s pretty obvious that there is a market out there for a more potent X4. It’s also pretty obvious that the public wants such a model to come out. However, the focus on other, more stringent M cars will keep the Motorsport division at bay, at least for now.

The M Performance alternative makes most sense in this case and you shouldn’t be surprised if an eDrive version also comes out in the next few years, maybe when the facelift arrives.

Rendering via Top Speed
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