BMW X5, X6, M division news - M-battle - 2009

See more X6M and X5M pics

Like it or not, it was always going to happen: BMW has given its X6 and X5 SUV-things the M-division treatment to create the X6M and X5M.

If you're currently attempting to remove your eyeballs from your head with the aid of a vacuum cleaner and screaming ‘why, why for the love of God', you're not alone. But you can't help but admire BMW's sheer chutzpah in unveiling a pair of 547bhp beasts on to the world. Especially a pair of 547bhp beasts that look like this.

Yes, 547bhp. Twice. That's courtesy of a twin-turbocharged version of the X6's 4.4-litre V8, which also puts out a whopping 501lb ft from 1,500rpm to 5,650rpm.

All that lovely power and torque will hustle the X5M and X6M to 62mph in - ready for this? - just 4.7 seconds, making them as quick as the current M3 Coupe. That's seriously, seriously quick. Oh, and BMW has hinted that the cars should be able to get sideways in the right conditions. Are the conditions ever truly right for getting a two-tonne SUV sideways?

Top speed is limited to 155mph, but opting for the ‘M' driver's package destricts the pair to 171mph... at which speed you won't be likely to get near the quoted economy of 20.3mpg.

Watch the X6M on track 

We won't dwell too long on the, er, striking visuals (feel free to add your forthright opinion in the comment boxes below) - save to point out the gills on the front wings and the quad exhausts round the back. In the cabin there's plenty of leather and M-branding, though sadly there's no factory option to remove the rear seats and replace them with a full roll cage.

No word on pricing yet, but expect to pay around £60,000 for our X5M and X6M when they reach dealerships this autumn.

Just one question: why couldn't they call them the MX5 and MX6? Oh...

Read about the X6 in snow