BMW has just launched the all-new XM super SUV to go up against the likes of the Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, Bentley Bentayga, and Aston Martin DBX. The XM was made to celebrate 50 years of the M division, and it is a car that has received a lot of mixed opinions.
The XM concept came out earlier this year, and many people were confused as to why the M division of BMW which is known historically for fast coupes and sedans, has decided to make an SUV the flagship M car. One can only assume because of money. The market the XM sits in is one that is vastly profitable and at the moment growing and growing each month. Despite a global recession, this car will still see a lot of success.
The XM features a lot of new design features that have never been seen before on previous BMW cars. You have the large alloys with just the letters “BMW” on the center caps rather than the BMW logo. The rear of the car only says XM though on top of the rear windshield there are two BMW badges on either side, something that has been taken from the M1 supercar from the 1970s. The XM also features vertical exhaust tips which are also new for a BMW. The overall design of the XM isn’t too bad at all, and it definitely is one of BMW’s better car designs of recent years.
The XM is the most powerful BMW ever made with a 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood that has been massively upgraded with a reinforced crankshaft, the turbos have been mounted close to the exhaust manifold, an electrically controlled blow-off valve, as well as new oil pumps, sumps, and separators. Following on from those engine upgrades, BMW has fitted an electric motor to the XM which boosts power massively. The new hybrid setup will be seen on the future M5 which will be launched in 2024. It’s very similar to the system Mercedes AMG use albeit, the V8 setup has a lot less power. Overall, the engine produces 483hp and the electric motors push out 194 hp. The combined power output is 640hp.
So is the new XM any good? Or is it just a gimmick? Let’s find out.
picture via: topgear.com
The XM Is A Serious Beast
The whole V8 hyrbid setup on the XM is absolutely wild. The V8 and electric motor together produce an absolutely colossal 644hp and 590 lb-ft of torque which is sent to all four wheels via a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox. However, more power is sent to the rear wheels to make the XM feel so much more sporty.
BMW has also fitted a lot of driving technology to the XM. You have an M-Sport differential that has been tailored to suit the XM’s needs. There is a second set of suspension arms that increases response times from the adaptive M performance dampers. The XM is a seriously heavy car therefore, active roll stabilization has been fitted to the car to control all that weight when the XM tackles corners. That system is definitely the most hardworking on board.
The XM hits 60 in 4.3 seconds which is slower than a Urus by a considerable amount of time. However, the XM is a little larger and heavier. Flat out with the M-Drivers package, the XM will hit 168 mph. Without that package, the XM will hit 155 mph. That’s very fast for such a heavy SUV that weighs in at 2750 kg, making the XM the heaviest production BMW ever. However, it’s a lot slower compared to other BMW M-cars and other rival cars from Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley, etc.
To tackle this issue, BMW will launch an even more powerful 730hp and 730 lb-ft of torque model next year called the Label red which is an XM with red accents on the grilles and trim. The all-new G90 and G99 M5 will use the same setup in the Label Red.
The First Ever Ground Up M Car Since The M1
The BMW M cars have always been based on normal production models since the M1. The M5 for example is based on a 5 series and the X3 M is based on the X3. The XM however, is an M-Car built from the ground up since it isn’t based on a normal production car. Therefore, this makes the XM the first M car built from the ground up since the M1 which was launched over 40 years ago in the late 1970s.
However, the XM and M1 are two very different cars. The M1 was this sleek supercar designed for racing whilst the XM is this huge SUV that has been designed more so for luxury. Of course, the XM does have some throwback designs inspired by the M1, most noticeably the two BMW badges on either side of the rear windshield.
The XM was not designed to set records at Pikes Peak hill climb like the new Lamborghini Urus Performante. Instead, it was designed to be luxurious in every single way possible and that is evident when you look inside the car. People who purchase the XM will never take it on track days. Instead, they will probably use it as an everyday car, and most of the time, the car will either be in comfort or electric mode.
Its Interior Is Nice
Inside the XM you get a large curved 14.3-inch touch screen infotainment display which is placed next to a smaller 12.3-inch display for the driver. It’s all very similar to the likes of the X5 and X7 cars. You do get a wide variety of leather options though, with the brown interior being aged before it is put into the car.
The XM features large supportive seats with the XM logo being luminous. You’d probably recognize these seats anyways on other BMW M SUV models. However, since this is the top BMW model these seats are covered in a more luxurious leather type that is softer and available in more colors.
To Conclude
Whilst the BMW XM is a very large, aggressive beast, it does come with many issues. It’s too heavy, the standard car doesn’t have the power we were expecting, and if you want the power that we were expecting you have to pay even more and wait longer.
The XM is a feat of engineering such that BMW has combined luxury and performance into one package. It still is a very quick car for something of its size, however, cars like the cheaper X6 M are faster and offer near enough the same as the XM. There really just isn’t enough to justify the price difference between the XM and other BMW models like the X5 M or X6 M.
The XM starts at $159,000 and will be built in their largest factory in Spartanburg South Carolina alongside other BMW X models.