Johannesburg, South Africa – The proliferation of BMW M cars in recent years can seem a bit much for purists, with cars like the X5 M and X6 M, as well as the M Performance range all serving to bloat the line-up significantly.

But the reality is, BMW M is a business, and any good business will tell you that you’ve got to serve your customer’s needs in order to stay relevant. The M SUVs and M Performance models are borne out of consumer demand, and the growth of the brand continues with the latest ‘hot’ crossover additions, the X3 M and X4 M.

Truth be told, a race track like Kyalami seems like an odd place to conduct a drive event for an SUV, even if they are performance-bred models like the two M models here. However, we’re also at Kyalami for the BMW M Festival 2019, a two day celebration of all things great and wonderful about the M brand.

So it seems like the X3 M and X4 M are almost like a sideshow, an extra treat admidst the bigger party happening outside. Still, it was an opportunity to try out the cars for the first time, to see what’s what.

It’s taken 16 years and three generations for BMW to come up with an X3 M, and its birth wasn’t even entirely intended or expected. According to M chief Markus Flasch, the success of the BMW X3 M40i last year was so overwhelming, the company decided that, yes, there is room for more.

And voila, the full-fat M version has emerged. The X4, which is fundamentally similar underneath, was a natural companion to go along for the full M works.

And just to show that they’re serious about this whole performance SUV business, they’ve decided to launch the cars in Competition spec as well, which is the version we’ll be getting in Singapore.

That means 510 horsepower, and 0-100km/h in 4.1secs for both cars. Respectable figures by any means, but highly impressive for what are essentially family runabouts.

The performance potential is evident down the start-finish straight of Kyalami, which is not all that long, and leads to a fast sweeping downhill right-hander and then an equally fast left hander leading upwards into the first proper corner, Turn 2.

It’s shaped more like a gentle question mark, but the elevation changes make for one hell of a roller coaster ride.

For the brave souls who dare to go full throttle here, both the M cars respond with a ferocious and rapid build-up of velocity. It takes a special kind of bravado to keep pedal to the metal as you approach the downhill right-hander, but if you’ve built up enough confidence, the M SUVs reward you with the kind of thrilling speed that feels almost akin to a proper sportscar.

The X3 M and X4 M are properly fast (and not just by crossover standards either), there’s no doubt about that.

Unfortunately, we only get two laps around the circuit in each car, barely enough time for us to properly get to grips with their characters properly, let alone give them a good flog.

It also means that we got limited chance to explore their real capabilities, especially around the twisty back part of Kyalami, filled with more elevation changes and some very interesting, occasionally blind, corners.

For what little time we had with the cars, it was evident that the X3 M’s SUV roots are still present and correct. Body roll is noticeable, and handling was adequate for the additional firepower.

The X4 M felt just a smidgen more well-controlled in the corners, but is rather clinical overall. It is a fast BMW SUV, no more no less, at least based on our limited experience anyway.

We’ll probably get a better impression once we’ve put both cars through a proper test, but even if they’re merely what they are, i.e. very, very fast performance SUVs, it’s unlikely to be a deterrent to customers. After all, this is what they’ve wanted and requested for, and their demands are the very reason for these cars’ existence.

Chances are, most X3 Ms and X4 Ms won’t be seen anywhere near a race track like Kyalami, or even rocking down a winding mountain road. Their natural habitat is more likely to be the suburban sprawl, or the Autobahn, where their full performance potential can be unleashed. Viewed in that sense, the X3 M and X4 M are very much the perfect products of our times. 

PHOTOS BMW

BMW X3 M Competition
Engine 2993cc, inline6, turbocharged
Power/rpm 510hp/6250rpm
Torque/rpm 600Nm/2600-5950rpm
Transmission 8spd auto
0-100km/h 4.1secs
Top Speed 250km/h
Fuel Consumption 10.6l/100km
CO2 244g/km

BMW X4 M Competition
Engine 2993cc, inline6, turbocharged
Power/rpm 510hp/6250rpm
Torque/rpm 600Nm/2600-5950rpm
Transmission 8spd auto
0-100km/h 4.1secs
Top Speed 250km/h
Fuel Consumption 10.6l/100km
CO2 244g/km