BMW XM Concept
Thunderstorm for the 50th
Jagged lines and enormous dimensions: the BMW XM Concept is Bavaria’s new battleship.
© press-inform – the press office
BMW did not want to show its new top model at the IAA in Munich in order not to cast a shadow over the ecological study of the i Vision Circular, and the new XM was also not to be seen at the Los Angeles Auto Show. But at the Art Basel art fair, the Bavarians unveil what is probably the worst model in the company’s history – a 750 hp power hybrid.
The BMW XM is the new super crossover in the bulging brand portfolio of Munich-based Bavaria. It is more powerful than the BMW X7 and wilder than the power double consisting of the X5 M and X6 M. The huge radiator grille, bold lines and an appearance that can only scare you are striking. The production model of the BMW XM, which is only available in the M variant, as well as the upcoming 7 Series BMW, which will also celebrate its premiere in 2022, should roll to customers with a new BMW face. The indicators and daytime running lights are separated from the emphasized low-lying LED main headlights. Not only true BMW fans will have to get used to this. The BMW XM, which will be launched on the market at the end of 2022 and, like the other large crossovers, will be produced at the main plant in Spartanburg / South Carolina, will be launched on international markets exclusively as a power hybrid. Its turbocharged eight-cylinder delivers 550 Nm / 750 hp and a maximum torque of gigantic 1,000 Nm with the corresponding electric assistance. The model, which M GmbH is giving itself for its 50th birthday, can drive 80 kilometers on its mighty 23-inch vehicles in purely electric mode.
“With the BMW Concept XM we are completely reinterpreting the high-performance automobile segment. It underlines the ability of BMW M GmbH to break with conventional conventions and push boundaries in order to offer fans of the brand the ultimate driving experience”, says Franciscus van Meel, Managing Director of BMW M GmbH, “with the series model, the first pure BMW M since the legendary BMW M1, we are also making it clear how we will implement the electrification of our brand step by step.”
Inside, the near-series concept study offers an orgy of leather, luxury and opulence. To do this, the driver looks at the curved display familiar from the BMW iX and i4 and operates the vehicle primarily with touch functions and voice. The BMW XM is still somewhat unusually equipped with a rotary push button on the wide center console, which allows many functions to be controlled in a more traditional way. Brown leather with a vintage look, copper and carbon are supposed to bridge the gap between luxury and motorsport. A strong decorative clip clearly separates the driver’s area from the rest of the vehicle. Let’s see how it is received by M fans – and visitors to the Art Basel art fair. The first customers have been scratching their feet for such a power hybrid for a long time.