As BMWBLOG previously reported, the fifth-generation X5 won’t enter production until August 2026. That’s even though camouflaged prototypes with production bodywork have already been spotted by professional car paparazzi. In case you haven’t seen the spy shots (of a plug-in hybrid version), we’ve attached them here. Those waiting for a V8-powered version will have to be even more patient. We’ve now learned that the M Performance model won’t hit the assembly line until March 2027. It means deliveries to customers are roughly two years away.
When production does begin in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the V8-powered X5 will carry a slightly different name. BMW is dropping the “i” from its gasoline-powered models, meaning the high-performance SUV will go by X5 M60. It’s a subtle naming transition already underway within the lineup, as seen with the smaller X3 M50.
Downsizing might be on everyone’s lips, but not in Munich. BMW has consistently promised to keep the V8 alive until 2030, and potentially beyond. The next-gen X5 will continue to feature the right number of cylinders under the hood. Or at least, that’s half true, depending on where you’re from.
While the twin-turbo 4.4-liter “S68” V8 will remain available in the United States, it may be blocked at the EU border. The reason? You guessed it, stricter emissions regulations. European buyers are already getting the short end of the stick, as the 760i version of the 7 Series isn’t offered there. That gap between the two regions is only expected to widen with future models.
That said, the V8 engine won’t be exclusive to North America. Other regions with looser regulations, such as the Middle East, are likely to get it, too. Even if Europe misses out on the eight-cylinder version, BMW could still launch an M Performance variant, possibly called X5 M60e, as a plug-in hybrid with two fewer cylinders.
If the X5 is getting V8 treatment once again, it’s safe to assume the next-gen X6 and X7 will as well. And when it comes to ALPINA’s future iteration of the XB7, logic suggests it’ll stick with eight cylinders. As for the XM, its future is unclear. A second generation seems unlikely, but let’s be honest: would anyone really miss it?