This is the XM, a 750-hp plug-in SUV that’s BMW’s first standalone SUV M model ever and the second standalone M vehicle since the M1 supercar of the late 1970s. And it’s the owner of a grille so massive it makes even the iX electric SUV look like pretty. Technically, it’s the Concept XM, because it’s only BMW’s ‘vision’ of how a future high performance BMW X model could look. But we all know how these things work. BMW admits we’ll see a production version before the end of 2022, and don’t go getting your hopes up that the styling will be toned down much before the first of the cars rolls out of the Spartanburg, North Carolina, plant.
We’d already been treated to a teaser
image of the giant grille with its horizontal bars, but the SUV that BMW found
room to attach to that grille is every bit as outlandish. But let’s start with
that face, because you’re going to be seeing plenty of it. Far from being
reserved for the production XM, which will legally carry that name thanks to a deal
between BMW and Citroën, the combination of a giant grille and a two-height
light treatment that separates the slim DRLs from the main lights provides “a
preview of the new front end design for BMW’s forthcoming luxury-class models”.
In other words, if you hate this, you’ll hate the next 7-Series that’s being
readied for launch early next year.
The sheer height of the front fascia gives
the XM an imposing look that’s firmly carried on throughout the design of an
SUV that looks almost militaristic. In terms of proportions, it has the tall
flanks, slim glasshouse and tapering roofline that make the Range Rover Velar
stand out among more traditional upright SUVs. But the XM’s squared
wheelarches, which are stuffed full of 23-inch wheels, and more complicated
surfaces give it a heap more attitude than the Land Rover. The roof itself,
which has LED lights at its leading edge, is finished in a contrasting color to
the rest of the body, while black A-pillars emphasise the sporty rake of the
windshield. And the presence of a charging port just ahead of the driver’s door
makes it clear that BMW’s first standalone M car since the M1 supercar is also
M Division’s first PHEV.
BMW doesn’t go into much detail on the
powertrain, but we know it comprises a V8 gasoline engine and an electric
motor, which together create a muscular 750-horsepower and 999 Nm of torque. In the absence of real data we’d guess at 3.0-seconds to 60 mph,
while BMW does give us a clue about driving range: 50 miles according to the European
WLTP protocol, and an estimated 30 miles by U.S. measurements.
But it’s the rear styling, which employs
huge exhaust tailpipes to make clear this is no EV, that’ll really grab your
attention. Unlike other BMW M exhausts, the XM’s two pairs of pipes are mounted
vertically, not horizontally. Disappointingly, they also seem to feature fake
exhaust trims in the bumper, something BMW M normally leaves to less authentic
brands. But the unusual triangular motif of those finishers, which almost
echoes the look of the front grille, except turned through 90 degrees, makes
for a very distinctive tail panel. The hook-shaped taillight ribbons cut
aggressively into the rear quarter panels, while the roof panel cuts equally
aggressively into the rear window, mimicking the look of the rear of an
original M1. And just as the M1 featured a BMW roundel on each side of the rear
bodywork, the XM repeats the trick, but by showcasing a pair of laser etched
roundels at the top corners of the rear screen.
Inside, the XM blends styling details from
other BMW concept and production cars, but with a focus on traditional luxury
materials that might confuse your typical current BMW M buyer. Instead of acres
of black leather and shiny carbon trim, you get textured woven surfaces made
from carbon fiber and cooper thread, plus lashings of rich brown leather mixed
with turquoise velvet upholstery. Glance upwards, and you’re treated to the
coolest headliner we’ve seen since AMC paired up with Pierre Cardin to stripe
the roof of a Javelin.
The driver’s view forward, meanwhile, is
dominated by BMW’s combined infotainment-gauge cluster hardware running the
latest version of iDrive, but it’s interesting to note that that iDrive rotary
controller is still in play. In fact, the presence of other parts-bin
switchgear like the gear selector and console buttons makes it obvious that the
Concept XM is very close to dropping that Concept prefix. We’ll find out more
about that production incarnation of the XM next year ahead of the late 2022
reveal, including the price, which will push BMW deep into uncharted territory
as it takes on the likes of Bentley, Porsche and even Lamborghini. But never
mind whether you can face the prospect of spending an estimated US$ 150,000+ on a
BMW SUV
