There are few things quite as anodyne as a mid-size luxury SUV. As a breed, they can be eye-catching or they can blend into the landscape; dynamically thrilling, while others are largely unengaging; or highly practical, but not exciting. Then there?s the BMW X5 M. It?s nearly twice as expensive as an entry-level X5, but it?s also at least twice as much fun. BMW?s M shop has stuffed a 567-hp twin-turbo V-8 into the engine bay, while an eight-speed automatic transmission and an M-specific suspension and all-wheel-drive system round out the powertrain. The X5 M puts up sports-car-adjacent numbers in nearly every category we measure, but where it excels is shocking unsuspecting passengers with its improbable quickness. We?d still choose a Porsche Cayman almost every day of the week, but on the day that calls for a trip to the dog groomer, we?d take the X5 M, and we?d beat the Cayman away from the stoplight every time. READ MORE ??
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