Hotter BMW X5 M60i Spied, Crossover To Get Mild-Hybrid Powertrain

BMW’s lineup is in flux, which means the automaker is introducing all-new cars while rolling out updated versions of existing models. One that’s getting a nip and a tuck is the X5 crossover. The current-generation X5 entered production in late 2018, and BMW is now ready to give it a proper makeover.

 We’ve spotted the refreshed X5 crossover out testing numerous times over the last year, and the latest batch of spy shots caught the spicier M60i trim. It’ll get a big change under the hood where BMW will slip its S68 engine, pairing the turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid setup and the eight-speed gearbox. The setup will deliver 530 horsepower (389 kilowatts).

The updated crossover will also arrive with updated styling, mimicking bits of the X6. The X5 will get a new grille flanked by slimmer headlights, which will sit above a reshaped bumper, a revised central intake, and other tweaks. At the rear, BMW will make fewer changes, with the company certainly installing new taillight graphics. The camouflage doesn’t reveal any other changes. There could be other tweaks, but they won’t be huge.

Inside, we expect BMW to give the X5 the brand’s latest infotainment system, with a large dash-mounted screen and the iDrive 8 software. This will be a big interior change for the mid-cycle refresh, and it’ll keep the crossover feeling fresh in a crowded segment.

The new styling will spread throughout the X5 lineup, including on the X5 M. However, while the high-performance crossover will get new styling, the powertrain will remain unchanged. That means that the refreshed X5 M will continue packing BMW’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, which makes 617 hp (560 kW) in the X5 M Competition, which should return.

 BMW hasn’t said when we’d see the new X5, but we expect it to be on sale for the 2023 model year. However, it might launch in Europe first before becoming available in the US and other markets. The X5 is nearing its fifth birthday, and a styling update couldn’t have come at a better time.