Here’s a stylish, beguiling and very quick performance SUV to rival the Porsche Macan GTS. But Porsche is going to win by a walkover.

Why? Because BMW’s new X4 M40i isn’t coming to the UK. British SUV buyers far prefer diesels, so BMW is sticking with its perfectly good X4 xDrive35d, thank you.

So, what do you (not) get? A version of the 3.0-litre unit from the X4 xDrive35i that’s been reworked for 355bhp and 343lb ft, the latter from just 1350rpm. A 4.9-second sprint time. A tuned gearbox and a 4x4 system with a stronger bias towards the rear wheels. And a set of figures which, on paper, puts it a little ahead of the Macan.

More or less everything else has been revised too. Steering, suspension, brakes, exhaust, torque vectoring, wheels and tyres – all are unique to the M40i.

The result is an X4 that does everything an X4 should – and everything an M-car should. It’s easy to drive when you’re not giving it death and thoroughly contented on the motorway, but when it’s time to cut loose it serves up a sparkling combination of pace and engine note with a gearbox that’s close to perfection.

Similarly, it rides tidily around town, so long as you remember to set the drive mode to Comfort. Set your brain to Fun, meanwhile, and it turns in with gusto, grips like a leech and maintains its stance like, well, like an M-car.

With the dial set to Sport, it’s really fast and incredibly reassuring. Click it round to Sport Plus and it’s hero time as the software sends more torque to the back wheels for the hairy-chested antics of your choice.

Fact is, the M40i is very different to drive than any other X4. And another fact is that if you put one alongside the Macan GTS, it’s impossible to guess which would win.

That’s how good this car is – and why it really is a bit of a shame that BMW isn’t bringing it to Britain.

BMW X4 M40i

Price: N/A

0-62mph: 4.9sec

Top Speed: 155mph

Engine: 6-cyl, in-line, 2979cc, turbocharged, petrol

Power: 355bhp at 5800rpm

Torque: 343lb ft at 1350-5250rpm

Kerb weight: 1840kg

Gearbox: 8-spd automatic

Economy: 32.8mpg (combined)

CO2: 199g/km