BMW X4 M40i Spied Testing to Tide You Over Until M4

BMW is hoping an X4 M40i will tide performance buyers over until a proper X4 M is developed.

Although rumors of a high-performance X4 M have been stirring since the X4 debuted earlier this year, it is believed that the German automaker won’t prepare an actual X4 M until the model’s second generation. Instead, the company will offer an M Performance variant called the X4 M40i sporting a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbocharged engine with 360 to 380 hp.

AutoGuide.com‘s spy photographers have caught the X4 M40i testing sporting slightly bigger brakes than the X4 35i model and what appears to be a dual-exit exhaust setup. Since the X4 M40i will share its powerplant with the M2, expect it to be available with either an automatic or manual transmission. It is believed that the X4 M40i’s production will start in December 2015, so expect a debut at next year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.