Gone too soon? It seems the BMW M550i xDrive is nearing the end of the road, with a new report claiming the V8-powered model won’t survive the shift to the new 5 Series generation…

Back in late 2016, BMW announced the first ever M550i xDrive (though it arrived in South Africa only at the very end of 2020). Now, as the G30-generation 5 Series nears the end of its lifecycle, a fresh report claims this V8-powered derivative won’t be part of the upcoming G60 line-up as the German firm further electrifies its model range.

According to BMW Blog, the new 5 Series range will again feature an M Performance model, though it won’t be the M550i xDrive. Instead, the publication claims BMW will introduce a new M560e plug-in hybrid model, combining the Munich-based brand’s turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-6 petrol engine with an electric motor or two and a battery pack.

The report claims production of the new 5 Series sedan will start in July 2023, before the first units are delivered to customers shortly thereafter. While the writing is seemingly on the wall for the M550i xDrive, the new 5 Series line-up is still set to feature an 8-cylinder engine, with earlier rumours suggesting the next M5 will employ the fresh S68 powerplant that has already debuted in the 760i and X7 M60i, but – like the upcoming XM – combined with a plug-in hybrid system.

A quick look at the BMW M550i xDrive

Though the M550i xDrive wasn’t part of the G30-generation 5 Series range in South Africa at launch back in February 2017, it eventually joined the line-up when the sedan was facelifted at the very end of 2020.

Slotting in below the M5 Competition (as something of an “M5 Lite”), the M550i xDrive usesBMW’s turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine, which delivers390 kW and an M5-matching 750 Nm to all four corners through an 8-speed automatic transmission. According to the Bavarian firm, that’s enough for a 0-100 kph sprint time of just 3.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 kph.

Of course, the M550i xDrive is still available to purchase in South Africa (and should remain so until the second half of 2023, by our reckoning). Pricing currently starts at R 1 612 922, representing an R809 544 saving over the 460 kW/750 Nm BMW M5 Competition, which the company promises will hit three figures in just 3.3 seconds before topping out at 305 kph.