Spy photographers have snapped the upcoming BMW X5 and iX5 on multiple occasions, but now they’re claiming to have caught the iX5 M. While it’s hard to be certain, the model is certainly more aggressive than previous prototypes.

As you can see, the crossover embraces a Neue Klasse design and appears to have a similar grille and headlight treatment as mainstream models. However, it adopts a far more aggressive lower intake that sports larger openings and angular lines. We can also see what appears to be a mid-mounted intake covered by a mesh panel.

More: BMW Leak Reveals Two Very Different Futures For 2028 X5 And 7-Series Facelift

Sporty features can also be found further back as the prototype rides on lightweight five-spoke wheels. They’re wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires and are backed up by a beefy braking system, which features cross-drilled discs and massive front calipers.

The rear end is pretty tame by comparison, but we can see slender taillights and a pronounced spoiler. The model also sports an angular rear window and a recessed license plate.

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Little is known about the crossover at this point, but EPA documents suggested the iX5 60 will have a massive 147.8 kWh battery pack as well as a dual motor all-wheel drive system producing a combined output of 569 hp (424 kW / 576 PS) and 594 lb-ft (805 Nm) of torque. We can also expect an 800-volt electrical architecture and fast DC charging.

That leaves plenty of questions about how powerful an iX5 M could be, but we’ve already heard rumors about an iX7 M70 with more than 800 hp (597 kW / 811 PS). Of course, we’ll likely get a better idea once the regular model debuts.

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BMW’s Neue Klasse offensive is picking up pace, and having this week been impressed by the price and EPA range of the iX3, we’re now getting a closer, though unofficial look at its coupe brother, which could stretch a full charge even further.

Like its boxier sibling, the iX4 adopts BMW’s new visor-style face that’s becoming a defining Neue Klasse trait. The same design language is also heading to the upcoming electric i3 sedan, helping tie the next generation of BMW cars together visually.

More: BMW’s New iX3 50 Is Cheaper And More Powerful Than Its Own Gas X3 M50

But beyond the nose, the iX4 starts doing its own thing. The roofline drops lower and flows into a fastback rear end, giving the crossover a sleeker silhouette than the standard iX3. It definitely looks sportier, though very tall rear passengers might not be celebrating the compromised headroom or smaller trunk.

The latest spy shots also reveal colored brake calipers hiding behind the wheels, strongly hinting this prototype wears M Sport trim, or is an M Performance variant. The basic M Sport package of interior and exterior trim is $2,500 on the new iX3 that arrives in US showrooms this fall, but upping the spend to $4,000 gets you the Professional version that adds colored M brakes and the Iconic Glow illuminated grille.

Inside, expect the same tech-heavy minimalist cabin already previewed by the iX3 and since rolled out to the facelifted 7-Series. That means a big 17.9-inch infotainment display, BMW’s pillar-to-pillar Panoramic iDrive setup, a futuristic four-spoke steering wheel, and an updated head-up display system.

40 And 50 Powertrains Planned

Underneath, the iX4 should mirror the iX3 lineup almost exactly. Earlier leaks tied to BMW’s accidentally published US product plans suggested America will get both 40 and 50 variants of the iX3 in rear and all-wheel drive configurations. It’d make little sense for BMW not to offer matching iX4 versions, though it looks like BMW will restrict the electric coupe to all-wheel drive.

That means entry-level models could use the European-spec iX3 40 setup featuring an 82.6 kWh battery and a 316 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) motor. Higher-end 50 xDrive versions should pack dual motors producing 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS). Both versions will be capable of charging at 400 kW.

BMW recently confirmed the iX3 50 xDrive for America with a surprisingly low $62,850 starting price (including $1,350 destination) and an impressive EPA-rated 434 miles (699 km) of range. Since the iX4 slices through the air more cleanly, it could potentially travel even farther between charges, though expect pricing to climb past the $65,000 mark.

BMW is about to do something unusual with its most famous sports sedan. When the next-generation M3 arrives, buyers will get two very different machines wearing essentially the same badge and, crucially, roughly the same price.

According to a new report, BMW intends to sell the electric and combustion M3 side by side in the same price bracket. That might sound straightforward, but it gets interesting once you look at what each version actually delivers.

Related: BMW’s Electric M3 Tries To Simulate Everything It Just Replaced

The electric M3 could deliver close to 1,000 hp (1,014 PS) from its quad-motor setup, though base models are likely to deliver 700-800 hp (710-811 PS) at launch. Meanwhile, the combustion model will stick with an evolved twin-turbo straight-six boosted by mild hybrid tech to somewhere around 552 hp (560 PS).

Visually, the two cars won’t stray far from each other either. BMW wants them to feel like siblings, not alternatives from different worlds. Expect shared design cues inspired by the Neue Klasse look, even though they’re based on entirely different platforms, the combustion car sticking with an updated version of today’s M3’s CLAR platform.

Panoramic iDrive

Inside, both should follow the same minimalist, screen-heavy direction. That means fewer physical buttons and a more digital-first cabin, incorporating BMW’s Panoramic iDrive tech, which may divide opinion just as much as the powertrain choices.

Combustion M3

Sylvia Neubauer, BMW M’s sales boss, is adamant that both cars will deliver what buyers expect. “It’s not only about acceleration and power, it’s about drivability, manoeuvrability and that level of trust and connection between the driver, car and road,” she told Autocar.

She also made it clear BMW knows not everyone will jump ship to electric overnight. “Obviously we will not convince 100 percent out of the petrolhead target group to buy an all electric BMW M3,” she admitted. “But out of 100 people that try it, we will be able to convince some.”

That explains why the combustion version isn’t going anywhere just yet, though some elements of it might be. Reports suggest the manual gearbox option, currently only available on the non-Competition version of the M3, might be retired. If that happens, even the petrol M3 edges further away from its analog roots.

Electric M3

Lead image BMW