Originally Posted by bcredliner

I agree the 4.6 is very special and I understand based on the other models available those years it could have been labeled an X5M. My guess is that at that time BMW thought the M label on the X5 was blasphemy.



BMW was late to the party. There was already a demographic category embracing high performance SUVs that was being served since at least 2008 by major competitors including Audi and Porsche. If you are late for the party you better bring something great. I think that is likely when they blessed the X5M development.