Fast SUVs are, in spite of logic, increasingly popular. SUVs that look fast equally so. To the latter crowd then, BMW has some modifications available for its new, fourth-generation and really rather big X5. Step forward, M Performance.

Because who doesn’t want to see a heavyweight dressed up in a track suit and sports shoes? The new X5 – which, admittedly is good, as you can read here – can be tarted up with carbon fibre exterior components. Things like air intakes, front and rear winglets, the rear diffuser and even the mirror caps.

More technical stuff comes in the shape of 20in light-alloy black wheels and all-terrain tyres, or the optional 22in light-alloy wheels that are 1kg lighter than comparable wheels. Apparently. Yup, we’re now in the realm of dialling up turn-in responses for a two-tonne SUV.

Brakes. Probably a good thing to address. M Performance discs measure 19in – think dinner plate – and are better at dealing with heat forces, while the aluminium calipers house four pistons. Grabby.

There’s yet more M Performance branding you can throw at the inside like a new steering wheel, floor mats, inscriptions and so on. And a ‘Drive Analyser’ that plugs into the X5 to give you driving dynamics data.

As we mentioned, the base car is good. You can read our review of the new fourth-gen BMW X5 here.