Spy photos of a rumored “M” version of the BMW X5 have been circulating magazines and websites for many years. In fact, many of the rumors were started by a snorting 700hp X5 Le Mans (pictured) built by BMW Motorsport at the start of the decade. Using a detuned version of its 6.0 V12 engine from the BMW V12 LMR that won the Le Mans 24hr race, it made a huge impression on anybody who saw it. With Hans Stuck at the wheel, guests were invited to laps of the Nurbürgring and you can find video of him abusing the X5 V12 if you search for “BMW X5 M Le Mans” on YouTube.

This car has been resurrected many times online as proof that BMW has big plans for its SUV. But finally, as BMW plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the X5, it has released an official video of the X5 M, which can be revealed by a search for “BMW X5 M Official” on YouTube.
The video footage shows a prototype vehicle being tested on the Nurbürgring at high speed. It’s a short video but finally proves the existence of this very exciting vehicle.
The X5 was first presented at the North American International Auto Show in 1999, helping to establish the Sports Activity Vehicle segment. Within a decade, over 845,000 units of the X5 have been sold, including the second-generation model manufactured in BMW’s North American plant in Spartanburg, SC.
From the very beginning, the key to the success of the BMW X5 lay in its combination of two qualities. The new car successfully transferred characteristic BMW driving pleasure into a completely new market segment. For the very first time, the spacious, full-time all-wheel drive X5 combined the driving dynamics of a BMW Sedan with impressive mobility off the beaten path. Its rigid body structure and independent suspension set the BMW X5 apart from conventional off-road vehicles, with the driving stability system Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including Automatic Differential Brake (ADB-X) and Hill Descent Control (HDC), ensuring impeccable manners both on and off the road.
The second generation of the BMW X5, launched in autumn 2006, saw the consistent development of the Sports Activity Vehicle’s characteristic features. The new X5 once again set the benchmark thanks to its increased space, comfort and luxury, being the first BMW to potentially provide seating for up to seven occupants.
Its intelligent all-wheel drive system, BMW xDrive, enhances both driving dynamics on the road and traction over rough terrain. The full-time, electronically controlled all-wheel drive, which is also networked with the DSC system, distributes power variably between the front and rear wheels.
The 2009 BMW X5 occupies a leading position in the area of efficiency. State-of-the-art V8 and inline six cylinder gasoline engines and, for the first time in the US, a version of BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance technology, ensure that the X5 combines its excellent qualities with fuel consumption and exhaust emission levels which are exemplary in its segment. This is also evidence that the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy has had a significant effect on BMW X models, too. After all, the fuel consumption of all engine types of the BMW X5 has been considerably reduced in the course of its ten-year history – despite a significant increase in power. The 2009 BMW X5 xDrive48i, with 350hp and a 0-60mph time of 6.4sec, is rated at 14mpg city, 19mpg highway, 16mpg combined, according to the EPA. This is 14% better than the original 2000 BMW X5 4.4i, which had almost 70hp less output.
The 2009 BMW X5 xDrive30i surpasses its predecessor by 35hp, yet it is rated by the EPA at just 15mpg city, 21mpg highway and 18mpg combined – a 12.5% improvement.  
To put it another way, when the EPA rating for the six cylinder 2001 BMW 3.0i is adjusted to the new test cycle, it is exactly the same as the rating for the 2009 BMW X5 xDrive48i V8, which is larger and nearly 2sec quicker to 60mph.  
Thanks to its BMW Advanced Diesel powerplant, the X5 xDrive35d takes efficiency to a new level, without sacrificing performance. With 265hp and an astounding 425 lb-ft of torque, it is capable of accelerating to 60mph in just 6.9sec and yet delivers an EPA rating of 19mpg city, 26mpg highway and 21mpg combined.
This improvement in fuel consumption means not only less fuel is used but also fewer greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere, ensuring that the ongoing development of the BMW X5 remains both tangible and relevant.
It remains to be seen what the new X5 M will use for its powerplant, but don’t expect to see such frugal fuel consumption. The V12 of the X5 M Le Mans is an unlikely contender, but the M5’s V10 is possible. A version of the twin-turbo V8 found in the BMW X6 and new 750i is another option. In stock form it delivers 400hp, but the turbo technology would allow BMW’s engineers to increase the output if desired.