The BMW X5 M Competition might be marketed as some hardcore performance SUV but that doesn’t mean it can’t calm things down and act as a great road trip companion. Which is exactly what we did in this new video. Our colleague Nate Risch recently took the BMW X5 M on a bit of a road trip and even camped in it. He took the X5 M through some stunning mountain roads, with equally stunning scenery, and spent quite a long time in it.
Despite being a 600 horsepower monster, the BMW X5 M Competition is a surprisingly docile machine when you want it to be. As Risch points out in the video, he was able to drive along in supreme comfort, sitting in a lovely air-conditioned, massaging seat. It’s also quiet when you want it to be, has a kick-ass sound system and even enough space in the trunk to sleep in. As a luxury road-trip cruiser, the BMW X5 M is as good as any GT car.
Yet, when the road opens up and gets twisty, its 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8; with its 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque; can make a helluva racket. It’s load, fast and surprisingly capable. Funnily enough, all of that power requires cooling, as Risch points out. Drive any modern V8-powered BMW hard and you’ll notice that the fans stay on long after the engine shuts off, to keep cooling it down. All of that power creates a lot of heat.
It’s not perfect, obviously. It’s a bit too complicated, with millions of settings for every aspect of the car and it should sort of just be sporty out of the box, without the need for settings to make it so. Also, it gets hilariously poor fuel economy. Though, the latter is to be expected from a 617 horsepower two and a half ton SUV. Still, it’s an incredibly impressive car and one that can do almost anything.
[Photos: Nate Risch on Instagram]
