The updated BMW X5 M has been seen testing for the first time since March, and this time we’ve been treated to a better view of its front grille.
Changes for the updated 2023 model are expected to be fairly limited, so what glimpses we get of the grille may be important. As you’d expect for an M model, there are a lot of air inlets to feed the engine.
The biggest change, though, appears to be on the kidneys, which are farther apart and have horizontal slats. The 2022 model, on the other hand, has vertical grille slats that obfuscate the distinction between each side of the unit.
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Fortunately for fans of restraint, it also appears that the kidney grilles will remain a sensible size, and won’t grow to gargantuan proportions as they have on the likes of the upcoming XM, say. The lower grille sections may also be redesigned.
Elsewhere, BMW has opted to put more camouflage on the rear of this test vehicle. That’s a bit of an odd decision, since we’ve already seen the X5 M testing with its rear end bared.
Our spy photographers didn’t manage to get a look inside the SUV, but BMW’s recent activity suggests that the X5 M will get its fancy new curved display that combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 14.9-inch infotainment system.
Rumors suggest, meanwhile, that the 2023 X5 M will only be offered as a Competition model and that it will be equipped with the new S68 engine that is set to make its debut in the XM. The X5 M will only be a mild hybrid, though, which means it’s unlikely to be as powerful as the XM, which is rated at 740 hp (552 kW/750 PS) and 738 lb-ft (999 Nm) of torque.
The X5 M is expected to make its debut at the end of 2022 and to be sold as a 2023 model year vehicle.