BMW has just unveiled one of the most striking prototypes in recent years, the Concept XM, which will form the basis of the second independent model signed by the M division of the German brand.
The production version of the BMW Concept XM will be unveiled in 2022 and will hit the market to mark 50 years of the Munich brand's sports division.
Available exclusively with a plug-in hybrid version, the BMW XM will be built at the BMW production site in Spartanburg (South Carolina) in the United States, which according to the Munich brand will be the most important market for this model.
The Concept XM is a high-performance SUV of vast dimensions, deriving directly from the X7, BMW's largest SUV. The front may even look familiar, but the truth is that this XM debuts the front design of the upcoming luxury models of the German brand.
Of course, the imposing grille (double kidney) stands out, the bipartite luminous signature (daytime running lights at the top and headlamps positioned one level below, flanking the lower part of the double kidney) and the side air intakes.
On the side, the typical SUV profile is notorious, although some coupé influences are noticeable. The very high shoulder line, the oversized wheel arches and the 23” wheels also don't go unnoticed, as well as the two-tone finish of the bodywork.
Moving to the rear, you can see the rear optics (which extend to the side) and the way in which the rear window has been integrated into the bodywork, while also featuring the Bavarian brand logo on each side, a detail that brings us straight back to the BMW M1, until then the only BMW M exclusive model.
But the divided luminous signature and the peculiar vertical and contoured exhaust outlets also do not go unnoticed, as well as the logo created for this model, which needed "authorization" from Citroën to adopt this name:
Opening the doors and 'climbing' into the cabin, there is a clear focus on combining various styles, with the BMW Curved Display technology (with the latest generation of the iDrive system) contrasting with the vintage image of the brown upholstery.
At the back, in the rear seats, we find a kind of sofa with an oil blue finish that helps to create the feeling that we are comfortably seated in a luxurious lounge.
The most powerful M ever
But don't be fooled by the feeling of calm, refinement and comfort, as this will be the most powerful production model ever from the BMW M.
In the «guts» of this XM we find a plug-in hybrid that combines a V8 petrol engine with an electric motor, for a maximum combined power of 750 hp and 1000 Nm of maximum torque — this will be the powertrain of the future “M” of larger dimensions.
BMW did not disclose the performances that this «super SUV» will be able to achieve, but confirmed that this model will be able to cover up to 80 km of 100% electric autonomy.