Spied Revamped BMW X5 Crossover Tries To Hide Its Hybrid Powertrain

The revamped BMW X5 should be close to its debut. The mid-cycle refresh will provide the model’s new front and rear fascias as well as other changes to keep the crossover competitive. Very little camouflage covers the altered design details.

Recent photos show that BMW is still covering the styling changes at the front and rear. The new image shows the model wearing a “Hybrid Test Vehicle” sticker on the passenger door, revealing the powertrain underneath. We knew the M60i would have such a setup, but it doesn’t look like that high-powered model. The wheels are smaller, and don’t seem to be quite as low-profile as the M60i test vehicle our spy photographers have seen.

An example of this could be the replacement for the X5 xDrive45e, which combines a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with an electric motor. This arrangement reduces 389 horsepower (290 kilowatts) and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque.

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The M60i is rumored to pair a much larger 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which produces 530 hp (389 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque in the larger X7. Top of the X5 lineup is the X5 M, which should produce 617 hp (560 kW) in the Competition model.

The X5 will receive a new styling, with slimmer headlamps, a redesigned kidney grille and a sportier bumper design. At the rear, BMW will tweak the bumpers and rearrange the taillights. Inside, BMW will receive a sizable update to the cabin, replacing the old dashboard with the company’s new dual-screen iDrive 8 system that’s proliferating throughout the BMW lineup. Interiors are often left alone during mid-cycle updates, but the automaker is bucking that trend.

The updated X5 is expected to arrive in US showrooms for the 2024 model year. The automaker hasn’t announced when it plans to reveal the revamped model, but we wouldn’t be surprised if that happens early next year. However, we will most likely have to wait for the debut of the X5 M at a later date, as BMW often staggers its launches.

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