Article Summary
- The S68 twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 could power the X5 M60, making at least 523 hp. Perforated brake pads and quad pipes in spy shots confirm genuine performance development, not just cosmetics.
- The fifth-gen X5 hits Spartanburg assembly in August 2026, with the M Performance variant rumored in March 2027.
- Interior gets full Neue Klasse treatment with 17.9-inch central display and panoramic vision display.
The fifth-generation BMW X5, codename G65, is coming. We’ve known this for a while, but the latest spy shots of an alleged X5 M60 prototypes give us real insight into what’s actually going to arrive when production starts at the Spartanburg plant in August 2026. The good news: there still might be a V8. The bad news: it probably won’t make it to all global markets.
Looking at the latest prototypes, the rumored G65 X5 M60 is clearly being engineered as a legitimate high-performance variant. The perforated brake pads visible in the spy shots suggest BMW is finally testing the high-performance M Performance brakes as an option—a significant upgrade that indicates genuine performance development. The quad exhaust pipes are another tell. These used to be exclusive to full M cars, but lately BMW has been spreading them across M Performance models.
That visual design lines up with what’s possibly happening under the hood. BMW is keeping the twin-turbo 4.4-liter S68 V8 alive for the next generation of cars so it’s not surprising that the X5 M60 could get the same powerplant, at least in some markets. The current X5 M60i with that same engine makes 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Expect the M60 to hit at least those numbers, possibly more.
A Nameplate Change
Here’s the subtle but important shift: BMW has been dropping the “i” from its gasoline-powered model names. You’ve already seen this with the X3 M50, and it’s rolling across the lineup. It’s a small change that reflects a bigger reality: BMW’s future is increasingly electric. The “i” designation, historically BMW’s way of denoting fuel injection, now primarily appears on electric models (i7, i5, i4, iX). Removing it from gas engines seems like just administrative housekeeping to better differentiate between products.
Interior Gets the Neue Klasse Treatment
Inside, the new G65 X5 is getting the full new-generation BMW treatment. That means iDrive X, the new central display measuring 17.9 inches, and BMW’s Panoramic Vision Display stretching across the dashboard. It’s the same interior direction we’ve seen on the new iX3 and is coming to more models as Neue Klasse elements roll out.
There’s also something interesting in the spy shots: a second screen peeking from the passenger side. It could be an engineering laptop used during testing, or it could be the rumored passenger display that’s expected on high-end models. If it’s the latter, that would mark another shift—more screens, more customization, more digital integration across the cabin.
On the outside, we expect to see the Neue Klasse design with a small kidney grille flanked by a large housing for the lights. We’re hearing from our sources that BMW plans to offer the new X5 with different light signatures, including one with an “X” shape.
Production Timeline
Production of the fifth-gen X5 starts in August 2026. Some sources say that the M Performance variant won’t hit the assembly line until March 2027, but that’s yet to be confirmed by the company. In fact, we won’t learn more about the next X5 until Spring.
The best part is that if the X5 M60 is getting a V8, it’s a statement that BMW isn’t completely abandoning traditional powertrains in its high-performance SUVs. So there is a chance that future products like the G66 X6 and G67 X7 will get it as well.