Launched in 2010, the BMW X5 M E70 shattered performance SUV conventions by installing BMW M's first-ever turbocharged engine into an aggressive all-wheel-drive super-SUV. Defying its 2.4-tonne mass with blistering straight-line acceleration and astonishing lateral grip, it proved that high-riding vehicles could wear the M badge with pride. Operating this high-strung powerhouse on British roads demands dedicated BMW X5 M maintenance, treating it as an exotic, high-budget performance machine.
At the centre of the drama is the 4.4-litre S63 twin-turbo V8 featuring a patented cross-engine exhaust manifold inside the hot-vee, generating 555 hp and 680 Nm. Power is managed by a reinforced six-speed M automatic gearbox and rear-biased M xDrive with Dynamic Performance Control. The extreme heat generated inside the engine valley places immense thermal stress on the quad-circuit cooling system, turbo oil lines and vacuum hoses.