BMW X5 50i F15 V8: a biturbo V8 behind a sensible face, the exhaust system guide
The X5 50i F15 is the V8 version of BMW's large SUV: 450 hp, abundant torque and four-wheel drive to move it with authority. Everything was tuned so that this eight-cylinder would go unnoticed, starting with the factory exhaust system. Material, valves, fitting: this guide helps you configure the ROG exhaust that will let this V8 speak out whenever you decide.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the BMW X5 50i F15 V8
From €2,190 in stainless steel, €2,690 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- BMW X5 50i F15 V8 4.4T (2014-2018)
- Engine
- 450 hp · 650 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: BMW X5 35i N55 F15 3.0T, BMW X5 40i B58 G05 3.0T, BMW X5 50i N63 4.4T, BMW X5 M E70 4.4TT.
The 4.4-litre biturbo V8: the X5 50i's trump card
The X5 50i F15 gets a 4.4-litre V8 fed by two turbos. It is rated at 450 hp and 650 Nm, with torque available very early that makes you forget the size of the SUV. Paired with xDrive all-wheel drive, it gives the X5 crisp acceleration and effortless overtaking, even when loaded up for the holidays. It is an engine built for fast long-distance journeys, even more than for raw performance.
On this biturbo V8, the turbos and the factory exhaust form a double filter: the first by nature, the second by choice, for the sake of comfort. The ROG valved exhaust replaces the rear section without modifying the engine or its electronics. With the valves closed, the X5 stays as quiet as before; with the valves open, you finally discover the true character of its V8.
What makes up the exhaust on your BMW X5 50i F15 V8
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your BMW X5 50i F15 V8, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. Routing, silencer, valves: this is where the sound is shaped, and where we focus our research and development.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your BMW X5 50i F15 V8, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the turbo. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Changing this part remains a choice: it pays off mainly with an ECU remap, which turns the freed-up flow into power.
Your BMW X5 50i F15 V8 in figures
What an exhaust changes straight away is the sound, the engine's breathing and the weight at the rear. For more power, add an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
With or without an ECU remap, the exhaust fits and works. But it is an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre that truly unlocks your BMW X5 50i F15 V8, and that is what we recommend.
A biturbo V8 like the X5 50i's offers comfortable headroom for remapping. The figures quoted at Stage 2 are around 536 hp and 788 Nm, to be confirmed with a tuner depending on the condition of the engine and transmission. The ROG exhaust claims no share of these figures; it accompanies the tune for your ears.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your BMW X5 50i F15 V8, the exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
2 190 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
Durable, corrosion-resistant, with a rounded, full sound: the most popular option.
Titanium
2 690 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
For the same design, it weighs around 40% less than stainless steel. A more metallic note at high revs and a look all of its own, from brushed to blued.
Both materials age well: 304 stainless steel copes with winter and salt, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your BMW X5 50i F15 V8, with its catalytic converter. Sound rating out of 10, valves open: the factory exhaust sits at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
Nothing changes at the front: the cat-back alone is already enough to change the car.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+1 020 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
The everyday compromise: emissions control is still there, and breathing improves noticeably.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+1 020 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
One step further: more flow, a more aggressive sound, reduced emissions control.
Decat
+670 €
10/10Track use only
Everything unleashed: maximum flow and unrestrained sound, for the track.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? It can appear with a sports catalytic converter: the downstream oxygen sensor reads a different level of cleaning from the factory unit. It is not an engine fault, and it is dealt with by an ECU remap or a diagnostic tool. With a decat, an ECU remap becomes necessary. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your BMW X5 50i F15 V8.
ROG remote
The simplest solution: a control unit in the boot and a remote, open or closed at the press of a button, whatever mode you are in. A question while fitting? We will get back to you.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
Does your vehicle have factory valves? The exhaust keeps their existing control: the drive modes operate the valves, as before, with no added electronics.
On a long journey, what matters is the absence of drone at a steady speed. With the valves closed, the exhaust keeps the cabin calm; the show is still there whenever you ask for it. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your BMW X5 50i F15 V8, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
- M Performance style carbon
The ROG sound signature on the X5 50i's V8
A biturbo V8 of this displacement has a deep, full voice, with a steady rumble that builds in strength under acceleration. In the X5 F15, the factory exhaust makes it disappear almost entirely: from inside, nothing suggests that eight cylinders are at work under the bonnet.
With the ROG exhaust and the valves open, that rumble comes through: a start-up that announces itself, acceleration you can hear, and a deep tone that matches the stature of the X5. With the valves closed, the SUV regains its factory calm, the kind that fits in anywhere, from the school car park to the motorway at night.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You choose the options for your BMW X5 50i F15 V8 and enter its VIN, found in box E of the registration certificate.
-
Check
We confirm compatibility with your car before we build it.
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Manufacturing
Made to order, for your BMW X5 50i F15 V8.
-
Delivery
Free, insured delivery, with tracking sent on dispatch.
-
Fitting
Clamps and gaskets, no welding: two hours on average at the garage of your choice.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
What about the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, fitting a part from another brand is not enough on its own to void it; the manufacturer has to prove the link between that part and the fault. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your BMW X5 50i F15 V8
-
Daily driving
2 190 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your BMW X5 50i F15 V8 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
3 710 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
For great roads: more voice and more response, while staying road-friendly.
View this configuration -
Track
3 360 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
These profiles are starting points. The right choice is often made in five minutes on the phone.
BMW X5 50i F15 V8: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the BMW X5 50i F15 V8?
As standard, the BMW X5 50i F15 V8 produces 450 hp and 650 Nm. Without a remap, the exhaust transforms the voice and lightens the rear; it is the ECU remap that increases power. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 536 hp and 788 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the BMW X5 50i F15 V8?
For the BMW X5 50i F15 V8, the ROG exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium. Choose stainless steel for value for money and a rounded sound, titanium to save around 40% in weight and get a clearer tone.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the BMW X5 50i F15 V8?
No, the cat-back alone already does most of the work on the BMW X5 50i F15 V8. The downpipe option is for those tuning the engine: 200 cells to stay road-friendly, 100 cells or decat for the track.
Can the BMW X5 50i F15 V8 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell sports catalytic converter both keep emissions control: that is the configuration to present, with the valves closed. The 100-cell converter makes a pass uncertain, and the decat fails the emissions test on the BMW X5 50i F15 V8.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the BMW X5 50i F15 V8?
Fitting needs no welding or cutting and takes two hours on average on a lift. We check compatibility with the VIN of your BMW X5 50i F15 V8 before manufacturing.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the BMW X5 50i F15 V8?
From €2,190 to €3,710 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery in Europe, 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your BMW X5 50i F15 V8. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
Behind every ROG exhaust is a French team you can actually reach, who know the cars they talk about. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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