The highly awaited and somewhat controversial BMW XM is nearing its launch date. According to sources, the high-end M crossover will be unveiled on September 27th. The luxury XM joined a global tour this year where potential customers and VIPs had a chance to see the car fully unveiled. We also had a chance to see BMW XM at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este. And even more importantly, we got behind the wheel of an XM prototype back in May.
Slight Design Changes From The Concept
Fully revealing patent images of the final version emerged at the end of last month to confirm the dedicated M car won’t stray away at all from the Concept XM. The front fascia is perhaps less striking now that the 7 Series G70 and X7 LCI also have a split headlight design, but the large kidney grille is still polarizing. The most obvious change compared to the concept will be the adoption of regular door handles, but there are other tweaks as well. For example, the front bumper is not as aggressive since the lower air intake is narrower and now incorporates the radar sensor for safety features and driver assistance systems.
At the back, the Concept XM’s stacked dual exhaust tips are staying, and there’s a good chance the BMW roundels in the upper corners of the glass will remain as well. The taillights are also less slick as on the concept model. The roof is less tapered while the hatch takes a more conventional shape, typical to a crossover. Overall, the shape of the production XM is a bit more conventional in design than the concept car. Its panels are not as sharp and the design is simply more cohesive. There are no images of the interior, but we’ve already seen a glimpse of it in the XM prototype we drove. It basically mimics the design of the BMW X5 M Competition, with minor changes unique to the XM.
Shorter Than X7, But Heavier
We also learned earlier this year that the first dedicated M car since the mid-engined M1 is actually “a centimeter or two” shorter than the X7. For reference, the three-row X7 measures a stately 5.15 meters (202.8 inches). It’s also likely to go down in history as the heaviest car BMW will ever make.
BMW has two XM models in works at the moment – a 750 hp plug-in hybrid and the 650 horsepower PHEV XM we tested. Our tester also delivered 800 Newton meters of torque (590 lb-ft of torque). It uses the new S68 4.4 liter V8 TwinTurbo engine which was recently introduced in the BMW 760i and X7 M60i. The petrol engine delivers around 490 horsepower while the rest – 160 hp – come from the electric motor. There is also a brand-new eight-speed ZF transmission with an integrated electric motor, sitting in front of the transmission, with clutches in between.
The BMW XM is also introducing a 48 Volt anti-roll system which can send up to 1,100 Nm to every single wheel. Due to longer wheelbase, the center of gravity is also lower than in the other M SUVs. The new XM runs on steel springs which were dialed up to deliver an experience worthy of an M car. The steering rack of the X5 M served as the basis for the XM, but the new luxury SUV gets new software tuning along with new bushings. The BMW XM also comes with large wheel sizes, ranging from 21 to 23 inches, wrapped in Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires.
BMW XM Label
We reported in November 2021 that the upcoming BMW XM high-end luxury crossover will likely come with a unique naming convention. The top BMW XM model will be called Label, as part of multiple different offerings, and will sit at the op of the lineup, thanks to its 750 horsepower. Price wise? The BMW XM is rumored to cost at least 180,000 euros in Germany, but we expect it to be priced lower in the United States.
See you on September 27th, 2022!
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