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2016 BMW X5 M is big and bold, not beautiful

Awesome as it is, the BMW X5 M has never really been an attractive machine. Big and bulgy are the themes here, and that's only more pronounced with the X5's most recent refresh. But no matter, the X5 M has never been about looks - for this machine, it's all about performance, and BMW's hi-po crossover absolutely delivers in this regard.
Under the hood is the familiar 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8, though power has been boosted to 567 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque - healthy increases of 12 and 53, respectively, compared to the outgoing model. Hitting 60 miles per hour is said to take just four seconds, which is damn impressive considering this thing weighs well over 5,000 pounds.
But the X5 M has always been shockingly good to drive, with limits you'll never reach except in the most hardcore track scenarios (which we'd really like to see, by the way). It's not the prettiest thing ever, but that's okay. It's not exactly cheap, though, with prices starting at $99,650. Woof.

Next BMW M5 could go all-wheel drive

Franciscus van Meel had been a part of Audi AG management since 1996, in positions including chassis development and vehicle project director. In 2012 he was named managing director of Quattro GmbH - headquarters for personal favorites like the RS6 Avant and R8 - but he lasted just two years before being sent to lead an R&D division in Beijing. He returned from exile just ten months later but wearing a blue and white roundel, after being named to the top spot at BMW M. So it shouldn't be a surprise that when Auto Express asked van Meel about all-wheel drive on the next M5, he replied, "If we continue the power increases in the future... then probably the next generation M5 and M6 will have so much torque and power that we need to think about those solutions." It would make sense from a competitive standpoint, too - once the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG went 4Matic, that put the two of the three cars in the segment in the AWD column. And there's no "if" about a power increase: a recent report put next generation's output at 600 hp - that's 40 hp more than today - to power a lighter car. That report said there'd be the option of four-wheel drive, but AE takes van Meel's words as a definite sign that we'll see a more complex drive arrangement under the next M5. If so, then truth be told, van Meel is reiterating the thoughts of his predecessor from two years ago. The new M boss doesn't like the phrase "four-wheel drive," however; in clarifying those "solutions" he mentioned, he said that the car would be rear-biased to remain emotional, with the front tires kicking in to aid traction. Related Video: News Source: Auto ExpressImage Credit: BMW BMW Luxury Performance Sedan bmw m

BMW M models will stay rear-wheel drive as long as possible

Don't expect BMW's M cars to go soft any time soon. Carsten Pries, the division's head of product management, wants to focus on at least six cylinders and rear-wheel drive for as long as possible. Pries sees the combination of six (or more) cylinders and rear-wheel drive as defining features of the division. "These are cars that attract new people to the M brand and that is very important," he said to Motoring. He doesn't think it's time to deviate from that strategy yet. "I hope not, because six is part of our DNA. Not only the power, but that hallmark sound that we have." We certainly like Pries' sentiment, but the division's current lineup shows a willingness to compromise the purely rear-wheel drive focus when necessary. For example, the latest X5 M and X6 M already feature all-wheel drive systems, which can send 100 percent of the power to the back at times. Spy shots and rumors heavily suggest a similar option for the next-generation M5, too. The latest M4 GTS proves BMW knows how to tune a fantastic sounding six-cylinder, but there's no reason a well engineered four-cylinder model couldn't be great. The original M3 relied on one to speed around, and it became a performance icon of its period. Pries even admitted in 2014 that a new four-cylinder M vehicle could happen eventually. For now, he isn't ready to introduce a new four-pot model. Pries admits that the division's strategy might need to change someday, but he still expects to create M-badged models. "If the framework changes in the future, we have to look then at what we can do in terms of a proper or decent M offer," he said to Motoring. Related Video: