Business 60
Volkswagen design chief: aggressive car styling is nonsense
2027 BMW X5 M60 V8 Flagship Spotted in North Carolina
A development version of the 2027 BMW X5 M60, the V8-powered flagship of the new G65 generation, has been spotted on a public street in North Carolina, revealing new details about the model's design and technology.
By Charlotte Redford · 3 min read
The 2027 BMW X5 M60, the V8-powered flagship of the new G65 generation, has been spotted parked on a public street in North Carolina, not far from the Spartanburg plant where BMW builds it. The sighting comes weeks after BMW inadvertently revealed the M60 badge in a production line video, showing a Dravit Grey unit rolling off the line before the company had officially confirmed the name. This time, no official camera was involved—just a passer-by who happened to notice the camouflaged SUV.
The car, finished in Vancouver Green—a colour new to the X5 lineup—wears the M Sport Pro package that debuted on the X5 M60e. That package includes the M Performance-specific light graphics, blacked-out trim, and yellow accent lighting. The quad exhaust tips, once a hallmark of full M models, are now a styling cue shared with M Performance variants, and the X5 M60 adopts this look without the full M car's hardware.
Inside, the development status is clear: testing equipment and wiring sit where a finished dashboard would normally be, a sign that BMW has not yet finalised the interior. However, the steering wheel is production-ready. It features spokes at 4 and 8 o'clock instead of the traditional 3 and 9, M-colour stitching through the rim, and a plain black marker at the 12 o'clock position, replacing the usual tricolor stripe. The passenger screen, standard on the 7 Series and optional on the current X5, is also present, indicating that BMW is extending its latest technology across the lineup.
Under the bonnet, BMW has not yet disclosed power figures for the V8. The current X5 M60i's twin-turbo 4.4-litre S68 engine produces 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, and BMW has confirmed that this engine will carry over into the G65 generation rather than being replaced by a smaller unit. The order of arrival is notable: the X5 M60e, a plug-in hybrid using the M760e's turbo inline-six and electric motor, will launch first with 603 horsepower and 590 lb-ft, meaning the hybrid will outgun the V8 on paper for a period before the petrol model goes on sale later in 2027.
Industry observers expect BMW to nudge the S68's output upward for the new generation, if only to avoid the V8 being outclassed by its own PHEV sibling on the specification sheet. However, BMW must also leave room below whatever the next X5 M produces, so a dramatic increase is unlikely. Until BMW publishes official figures, any estimate beyond “a bit more than 523” remains speculation.
The sighting underscores BMW's strategy of offering both electrified and traditional powertrains in its flagship SUV, while gradually introducing design and technology elements across the range. The X5 M60 is expected to arrive in 2027, with the M60e leading the launch.
