Even BMW's M-Spec SUVs Are Electrified for 2024

• Building on its electrification effort, BMW is adding mild hybrid technology to its highest-performing X5M Competition and X6M Competition SUVS for 2024.

• Powered by a re-worked S68 4.4-liter, turbocharged V8, the addition of an electric motor bumps the power figures to 617 hp and 553 lb-ft, fed to all four wheels through xDrive and an active rear differential.

• Produced side-by-side with non-M variants beginning in April, the X5M and X6M command a high price, starting at a respective $123,295 and $128,195.

With details about BMW's new run of flagship X-series SUVs emerging, the move toward electrification across its model lineup signified BMW's commitment to modernity but also luxury. But BMW's SUV lineup has been focused on performance as much as luxury since its inception, and enthusiasts rightfully wondered how or even if the M-spec versions of the X5 and X6 fit into this new electrified lineup.

Not to worry, BMW says, as it is introducing the X5M Competition and X6M Competition for 2024, citing the performance gains of electrification as a key part of its new M-spec SUVs.

First thing first though, the 2024 BMW X5M Competition and X6M Competition will be expensive. Starting at $123,295 including a $995 destination fee, the X5M Competition will be around $5000 cheaper than its X6M Competition sibling, which starts at $128,195. Compared to the 2023 model year, both models are up around $13,000. To put that in perspective, the only comparably priced BMW M-car that is not an SUV is its grand-touring $136,000 M8 coupe. The new BMW XM plug-in hybrid starts at $159,000, making it Bavaria's most expensive M car/SUV at the moment.

Adding more power and smoother delivery to its non-M six- and eight-cylinder variants not only enhanced the premium feel but helped BMW truthfully claim it has improved performance by more than a few horses. In the case of the X5M Competition and X6M Competition, however, the twin-turbo S68 4.4-liter V8 is the only available powertrain, enhanced by BMW's new 48V mild-hybrid technology.

With ample displacement fed by forced induction and electrification, BMW says owners can expect peak torque of 553 lb-ft between 1800 and 5800 rpm, along with a maximum 617 hp at 6000 rpm. That's an extra 94 hp as compared to the M60i variant of the non-M X5 and X6, which is also powered by the S68 engine, though the torque figure remains the same across both versions.

How exactly did BMW come up with an extra 94 hp? While the company says it refined the S68 for 2024 with a cross-bank exhaust manifold, a reinforced crankshaft drive, a turbocharger that's mounted closer to the exhaust manifold with an electrically controlled blow-off valve, and a new air intake duct, the power bump on the M Competition version is most likely the result of ECU tuning.

Even so, BMW is quick to point out the acceleration gains from its electrified construction, with the electric motor accounting for an additional 12 hp and 147 lb-ft of torque.

Part of this quick but smooth power delivery can be attributed to the proprietary 8-speed M Steptronic transmission. New gear ratios are present in the 2024 model year, with shorter ratios through the first three gears allowing for better acceleration from a dig.