SUPER BMW M PERFORMANCE CARS REVEALED

Following its announcement of a new sub-brand called BMW M Performance, the company has now detailed exactly what kind of engine technology these cars will feature. M Performance will officially be launched at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show in March, and these models will be there. But South Africa is not getting all of them.

We don’t really care actually, because we are getting those models that count, the ones that apply most to us. These are the X5 M50d, X6 M50d, M550d xDrive and M550d xDrive Touring. The last two (5 Series sedans) are not for Mzansi consumption at all, so they won’t be sold here. That’s because they are driven by an AWD (all-wheel-drive) system which we don’t need as we don’t have much snow-fall at all in winter.

Therefore I’ll concentrate on the X5 and X6 variants. Power comes from a 3.0-litre diesel engine with not two, but three turbos! Yes ladies and gents, this car is a tri-turbo. Basically it comprises of two small and one big turbo, thus eliminating the dreaded, performance-sapping lag. When all is said and done you get a deserved 280kW between 4000rpm and 4400rpm, as well as a super duper 740Nm of torque between 2000rpm and 3000rpm. It can rev up to 5400rpm.

The X5 M50d goes from 0 – 100km/h in a claimed 5.4 seconds, while its X6 brother does the same in 5.3 seconds. BMW says the X5 sips an average of 7.5 litres per 100km, compared to the X6’s 7.7 litres per 100km. Quite incredible for both.

When going out on the town the cars wear 19-inch M light-alloys as standard, but can be kitted with 20-inch types as well. A special wheel in a colour called Ferric Grey can be ticked off as an optional extra. It sounds just right. A unique BMW M Performance trait will be the Ferric Grey metallic exterior mirrors and air intake bars.

The interior is bespoked (new word) with things like black Alcantara/ Nappa leather M sports seats, or a BMW Individual roof liner in Anthracite and interior trim strips in Brushed Aluminium Shadow among other features.

These two special cars will be sold in South Africa in the third quarter of the year, following their world debut at Geneva. The X6 is due for a facelift this year, so we aren’t sure whether this X6 M50d is based on the outgoing or incoming model. X5 M50d itself won’t have much shelf-life because the all-new shape model debuts in 2013.