You can tell we’re living in an SUV-obsessed world when a Safety Car is not really an actual sports car. It’s more along the lines of a living room on wheels. Such is the case with the XM, BMW’s first dedicated M since the mid-engine M1 supercar was discontinued in 1981. Seen here in the range-topping Label specification, the colorful luxobarge has touched down in Texas for this weekend’s race.
The XM Label will perform Safety Car duties on The Circuit of The Americas near Austin for the third round of the 2024 MotoGP season. A new video posted on social media shows American riders Garrett Gerloff and Joe Roberts exploring the streets of Austin while driving around in the splashy SUV nicknamed “Rockstar.”
BMW’s most powerful production vehicle follows a long line of MotoGP Safety Cars, starting with the Z3 M Coupe in 1999. Aside from the special livery, this XM Label is slightly different than the one you’ll find at a dealership. It has a custom front splitter, extra flashing lights, and body-hugging Recaro front seats with a six-point harness. Oh, there’s also a fire extinguisher if need be.
This XM Label is BMW’s first electrified MotoGP Safety Car, and with 738 hp, it’s also the most potent. We can already imagine the M division using something different for the 2025 season, potentially the new M5 Sedan/Touring. The hottest M coming this year will use the same plug-in hybrid V8 as the XM. However, it’ll be dialed down compared to the XM Label since we’re hearing it’ll pack around 718 hp.
This electrified mastodont wasn’t really built for the track, what with the XM Label weighing a colossal 6,094 pounds. Nevertheless, the supersized SUV hits the famous circuit with its 20 corners and 133-foot elevation change ahead of this weekend’s big race.
Source: BMW M / Instagram
