This 730-HP BMW X5 M Takes Lowered SUVs To New Heights

By now, it's safe to say that Manhart knows how to make an SUV fast as hell. The German tuning company turned a BMW X6 M into a 720-hp animal and managed to turn a Range Rover into a 650-hp monument to excess. But this one just looks mean. A lot of that comes down to the lowering kit and the wheels. Still, we're not going to scoff at the work that goes into making a 730-hp BMW X5 M Competition. Or the lack thereof. We'll get to that in a second.

Things are still run by BMW's own automatic gearbox and 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, but they're far from stock. Torque rises from 553 lb-ft to 663 lb-ft, but far more impressive is how little work Manhart needs to do to get the X5 M there. To be fair, this isn't the aftermarket firm's first attempt at a BMW X5 M.

Manhart uses a new MHtronik ECU map, for starters. That's paired with the tuning firm's own stainless steel exhaust. Mercifully, that keeps BMW's stock exhaust valve, so you won't wake the entire county when you fire the car up. Manhart does offer a catless downpipe for this car, but it's not been installed on this particular model. That's because they're not German TUV-approved due to Germany's ever more stringent emissions regulations.

The fact that that's all you need to get 730 hp and 663 lb-ft of torque is incredible. It's also going to give the X5 M owners among us some ideas. Regardless, Manhart has also made sure this will at least look more like an M Competition car with H&R coil springs and new Hamann Anniversary Evo wheels. Those are a hilarious 11 inches wide and 23 inches in diameter.

This particular car, which Manhart calls the MHX5 700, also gets some special aesthetic touches. There's a new exposed carbon hood, carbon front splitter, side skirts, and diffuser. That diffuser has an F1-ish fog light mounted in the center, despite the fact it's been years since BMW was in F1.

Unlike a great deal of other Manhart creations, this X5 keeps a largely stock interior. However, Manhart will sell you more carbon fiber trim, a carbon wheel, and its own shifter paddles if you want. You can even have Manhart floor mats if you want. The best part? All of these modifications can be ordered for a US-spec BMW X5 M. You don't need to hold residency in Deutschland to take part in the fun.