AT LONG last, it’s here. While the fourth-generation BMW X5 large SUV first touched down in Australia in November 2018, it has taken a year and a half for the range to be crowned by its X5 M.

The new generation marks the first time the X5 M has been offered in full-fat Competition grade, which among other features sees power of the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 jump from 423kW in the outgoing generation to a fearsome 460kW.

Extra power and some visual enhancements sound good on paper, but how does the new X5 M Competition stack up in the real world?