This camouflage-clad X5 SUV was espied on a public road not far from the BMW Engineering Center in Bavaria, Germany. What purpose it could serve is open to interpretation.
One theory states that the G05 X5 series might be due a facelift after two and a half years on the market. If so, the X5 M50i-like bumpers and headlights appear to be the only exterior changes from the pre-facelift version.
Another guess is that BMW might be testing a new hybrid powertrain – note the “Hybrid Test Vehicle” stickers and the metering hardware in the cabin. The person who made the photos reported BMW crew being unhappy with the spying and trying to prevent him from taking the pictures.
If this is indeed a mid-life refresh, then we should expect the new X5 around 2022, simultaneously with the coupe-like X6 variant. Given that BMW is planning to launch its all-electric iX SUV around the same date, the new X5 will likely be limited to gasoline and part-electric powertrains so as not to cannibalize the iX sales.