A performance flagship of the BMW X4 SUV will come equipped with a high-powered version of the turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-cylinder lifted from the BMW M4 coupe.
Thought to have been captured at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, the single image of the powerful Porsche Macan Turbo rival appeared online last night on Mexican car blog, AutoCosmos, hinting that the sporty BMW X4 M is at a late stage of development.
From the sole shot of the BMW X4 M it's clear the performance SUV will get twin dual tailpipes, an underbody diffuser, subtle lip spoiler and redesigned rear bumper. Also pictured are sportier new door mirrors and larger rims that hide uprated brakes.
At the front, the X4 is likely to feature a specific M style, embracing a larger grille and air intakes to feed its powerful engine.
Under the bonnet, it's almost certain the BMW X4 M will come equipped with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine that already powers both the M3 and M4.
In the BMW X4 M application, the M car's turbo donk is expected to produce around 340kW and 600Nm of torque.
Combined with an eight-speed automatic and thanks to all-wheel drive the X4 M could eclipse the smaller, lighter M4 with a 0-100km time of less than 4.0 seconds.
BMW is yet to confirm when it plans to launch the X4 M, but a date before the end of this year is likely.
It's still not certain the fastest-ever X4 is destined for Australia, following the news that BMW might not engineer it for right-hand drive market.