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Eric's Autos: Reviewing the 2015 BMW X5 M

Eric Peters on

Some of the quickest cars on the road aren't even cars - much less high-performance sports cars. This BMW X5 M, for instance. Don't let the four doors fool you. Let them fool the dude sitting next to you at the light in his 911.

With not-far-from 600 hp under its hood, the gag is on pretty much everyone - in anything - who thinks they can outrun this thing. Because few are the contenders - two doors or four - capable of breaking into the high threes, zero to 60. Which is what you'd need to beat the X5 M.

Which excludes the Porsche 911 Carrera. The Cayenne Turbo, too. And the new Range Rover SVR. The Benz ML63 AMG? Easy meat.

WHAT IT IS

The X5 M is - forget the preliminaries - the strongest, quickest, baddest crossover SUV on the road. Under - or over - $100k. It outruns all its rivals, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, the Range Rover Sport SVR and the AMG-amped Benz ML.

It's also quicker (and not by a little bit) than a 911 Carrera coupe. And the 911 hasn't got room in back for a wet labrador retriever. Nor can it cart around five people - or deal with snow. The X5 can do all that.

 

What can't it do? Go more than about 200 miles on a tankful. Ah well. You can't have everything. Base price is $98,700. By no means cheap thrills. But cheaper - and more thrilling - than the Cayenne Turbo ($113,600) and the Range Rover Sport SVR ($110,475).

The Benz ML63 AMG's base price of $98,400 is a few hundred bucks lower than the BMW's. But then, so is the Mercedes' performance. Look in vain for quicker - much less four-doored - alternatives. Better yet, go out and look for victims.

WHAT'S NEW

The X5 M is the latest M-tweaked BMW - "M" being BMW-speak for sehr schnell(that's really, really fast). In addition to another 100-plus horsepower vs. the non-M X5 xDrive50i - the X5 M receives the usual ensemble of complementary M upgrades, including high-performance (and driver-adjustable) calibrations for the eight-speed automatic and full-time xDrive all-wheel-drive system, much more sporting suspension settings , flying saucer-sized (and cross-drilled) brake rotors and massive powder-coated calipers peeking out from behind M-specific 21 inch light-alloy rims just barely skinned with ultra-ultra low-profile "summer" tires.

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