Hitting 174 MPH in an Old BMW X5 M Is a Walk in the Park, Even on Public Roads

Ticking the right boxes in terms of styling, comfort, and insane speed, the original BMW X5 M remains a sought-after ride even in today’s market. It is still highly competitive, with 4.7 seconds needed to hit the 62 mph (100 kph) mark from a standstill, and a 155 mph (250 kph) electronically limited top speed.

Power was supplied by a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine, which worked in concert with a six-speed automatic transmission and the brand’s xDrive all-wheel drive system. It produced 547 hp (555 ps / 408 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 501 lb-ft (680 Nm) of torque at 5,650 rpm, or just 69 hp (70 ps / 51 kW) and 52 lb-ft (70 Nm) shy of the modern X5 M Competition.

Now, you have probably already spotted a discrepancy between the official top speed of the super crossover and the one achieved by this particular example that was set loose on a no-speed-limit section of the German Autobahn. And there is no typo here, because this one actually hit 174 mph (280 kph), on two separate occasions, as indicated by the speedometer.

So, what’s the catch? Well, if you haven’t figured it out yet, it has been tuned, with the video claiming that it now boasts a total of 635 horsepower and 634 pound-feet (860 Nm). The 0-62 mph is said to take 4.3 seconds. By comparison, the new X5 M can do it in 3.8 seconds in the Competition variant, so you are looking at a very fast vehicle indeed.