When the BMW XM Label Red was revealed, there was something a bit unusual about its color offerings—there weren’t many. From the normal list of factory colors, the Label Red is pretty boring. However, BMW is doing something interesting and is currently offering more than 50 Individual colors free of charge. So, technically, the list of factory colors is massive and exciting. So long as you’re willing to wait for a special paint. So it begs the question: which Individual color is best?

Using BMW’s Individual visualizer, we can take a look at all of the special colors available for the XM. Admittedly, the XM Label Red isn’t part of the visualizer just yet, as it’s too new, so we can’t see exactly what it will look like with these colors. There are also a handful of colors that are unique to the Label Red. Still, the Label Red’s only visual difference from the standard car is its red trim, so just imagine these colors with red exterior trim. Also, there are more than enough colors shared with the standard XM that you can get a good idea of what you will choose when ordering your Label Red.

BMW’s visualizer is brand spanking new, too. It features an entirely new interface, with bright graphics and a more accurate depiction of the car in its chosen color. So it’s fun to play with and see what the XM will look like in its various free colors.

The BMW XM is a weird car, though. From some angles it looks good in bright colors but from others it just looks bad, such as from the rear. However, darker colors look good from some angles but then completely wash out some of its better design elements, like its front end.. So it’s sort of a toss up. However, I think that, overall, darker colors work best for the XM. And, if it were my money, I’d go with purples.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: modern Bimmers look good in purple. Purples are typically dark enough to hide some of the awkwardness present in modern BMWs, while still being vibrant enough to be exciting. It’s why Thundernight Metallic is so popular on the 2 Series. Since purples look good on the XM, I decided to go with Daytona Violet Purple, a throwback M color. Now, before anyone yells at me for putting a classic BMW M color on an XM, I didn’t choose it by name, I chose it by its shade and only afterward did I know the name. So that’s my personal advice—if you’re buying a BMW XM, go with a relatively dark shade of purple. What about you?

[BMW Invidisualizer]