The BMW X5 M is a high-performance derivative of the X5. It was introduced to the press at the New York Auto Show in April 2009 and started appearing in BMW dealerships in September 2009. It competes with cars such as the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. At the time of its launch, it was the most powerful car in its class.

The BMW X5 M is the first xDrive all-wheel-drive vehicle from M GmbH along with the X6 M. The M offers the same utility as the regular X5, with the addition of the V8 M TwinPower Turbo, a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 delivering 547 bhp (408 kW; 555 PS) at 5,750 rpm and peak torque of 501.2 lb⋅ft (680 N⋅m), available between 1,500 and 5,650 rpm. The S63 engine is a high output variation of the N63 power unit.

The X5 M can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.0 seconds, and a quarter-mile (402 m) time of 12.2 seconds with a trap speed of 115 mph (185.1 km/h) was recorded by Car and Driver magazine. In the same test, the X5 M bested the 0–60 mph (97 km/h) and quarter-mile times of the 2009 Porsche Cayenne...