2017 has been a huge year for performance SUVs. In a year when Porsche revealed a new Cayenne Turbo, it only ended up being the third most talked about SUV of the year. That is of course because this is the same year when we finally got to see the production Lamborghini Urus and the badass, 707-hp Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. With all of these hi-po SUV reveals, the BMW X5 M is being pushed further and further into the background. That is why BMW may be forced to replace its flagship performance SUV a few years early.

The lifecycle for a BMW model is typically seven years, but BMW Blog reports that a new X5 M is expected to arrive two years early in 2020. The current F85 X5 M has been on sale since 2015, so it would make sense to kill it off after 2018. The previous E70 X5 M lasted from 2010 to 2013, so the second generation X5 M would also last for three years. BMW plans to reveal the new new G05 X5 in 2018, ending the production of the current F15 X5 that has been on sale since 2013. This new X5 will be based on the CLAR platform, which cuts weight with the use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). This new platform should help improve driving dynamics with a lower curb weight.

The X5 M will likely share a drivetrain with the new F90 M5, so expect a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with around 600 hp. All of that power will be sent to all four wheels through a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic. Expect to see BMW reveal the new X5 M in 2019 and arrive on the market in 2020.