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BMW has made some changes to its big M-mobile.

It looks like BMW is putting some miles on its new X5 M test car. Last we saw it was in February. Before that, April. Clearly, if the pace we’re capturing photos at is any indication, BMW is ramping up testing ahead of the new SUV’s debut. It’s not just poorly thought out theories that tell us that either. There’s a host of new changes on the car that we haven’t seen before.

With any luck, that means the latest iteration of BMW’s big M car is close to being done. But for now, we’ve got a nice, fresh look at the facelifted version of the Bavarian brand’s professional ass and people hauler.

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Let’s start with one of the more obvious changes. Since we last saw it, the X5 M has gotten some new shoes. These are likely another wheel option for buyers to choose from come release day. Inside the wheels, we can see BMW’s blue M Sport calipers as opposed to the red M Performance calipers we saw on other test cars. That tells us there’s going to be a choice in brakes for the new BMW X5 M. Behind the wheel, it looks like BMW has instituted some sort of refreshed grille/strake design for the fenders.

For now, at least, the grille looks relatively in proportion with the rest of the body, and we’re expecting the X6’s illuminated grille to make its way onto the X5, likely the reason for the camo getup. Speaking of lights, these new photos have finally given us a look at the new rear lights. They’ll feature a slightly updated design, and it appears the shape of them will be changing as well.

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Our photos have also given us a look at the underside of the X5 M’s exhaust system. We don’t have much to compare it to, but odds are the redesign at the rear end has necessitated some small changes to the piping. We’re going to have to wait for some videos to see if anything sounds all that different.

Finally, our spies let slip that BMW’s new iDrive8 will be making its way here, as it will on other updated models like the BMW X3 M. As for power, we’re still expecting a Competition-only trim for the X5 M, which means a 4.4L twin-turbo V8 with around 600+ hp. This year is M’s 50th Anniversary, so we wouldn’t rule out a more powerful special edition car later in the year. For that, we’ll simply have to wait and see.

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