Cars

First-ever BMW XM debuts with a pig-nose face & 650+ hp

BMW-XM

The XM makes the X7 facelift look 10x better.

BMW has revealed the production version of the Concept XM that was showcased last November. Production of the first-ever BMW XM will get underway at the BMW Group Plant in Spartanburg (United States) in December 2022 before it arrives at dealers worldwide in spring 2023. Besides the U.S. market, BMW is targeting China and the Middle East as well.

The model is simply called the ‘XM’; there’s no number in between. Just like Tom & Jerry, it is simply X & M, and people might find those who drive this just as funny as the cartoon show itself.

While the production version retains most of the styling elements from the concept, this gold-color-accented version makes it look—sorry to use the word—hideous, especially those unnecessary gold surrounds on the so-called Kidney grille. At this point, it is unclear if the design team is serious or just messing around with the public. But anyway, the X7-sized massive crossover rides on 21-inch wheels as standard, but up to 23-inch options are available.

BMW-XM_boot

For those who care to know the dimensions, the XM measures 5110 long, 2005 mm wide and 1755 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3105 mm. While the wheelbase remains identical to that of the X7, the rest of the numbers vary slightly. Unladen weight is 2,710 kg (5,974.5 lbs), which is I guess understandable.

I guess the XM Black is more digestible, because, you know, all the cheesy gold stuff is replaced with black and dark ones, including the grille surrounds, window surrounds, diffuser.. and the wheels have also been spared from the golden embarrassment. Of course, the continuous contour lighting around the grille looks a lot better here in the Black.

One of the key features on the inside is that you’re spared from seeing the exterior styling. Jokes aside, you got standard BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which comprises a 12.3-inch driver display and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen. A Head-Up Display comes standard as well. Standard specification also includes M multifunction seats, model-specific M leather steering wheel, four-zone automatic climate control, Harman Kardon Surround Sound System, and sculptural headliner with a 3D prism structure. A 1500-watt Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System is an optional extra.

ADAS include all the usual stuff you might expect, including Front Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Evasion Assistant, Alertness Assistant and Speed Limit Info system. Parking Assistant Plus comes standard as well. The optional Driving Assistant Professional combines Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function with a host of other features, including the Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Traffic Light Recognition, automatic Speed Limit Assist and Active Navigation.

Adaptive M suspension Professional with electronically controlled dampers and active roll stabilization with 48-volt electric motors and Active Roll Control are all standard as well. The XM is also the first BMW M model to feature Integral Active Steering.

Moving on to the juicy bits of the story, the XM is a plug-in hybrid model that combines a 4.4-litre (4,395 cc) V8 twin-turbo petrol engine with an electric motor integrated into the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. The ICE produces 360 kW (489.5 metric hp) max power and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of max torque, while the e-motor alone develops 145 kW (197 metric hp) and 280 Nm (206.5 lb-ft) of peak figures. The combined figures are 480 kW (653 metric hp) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft).

The official 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time is 4.3 seconds while the top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). But if you pay extra, BMW won’t mind increasing the top speed to 270 km/h (168 mph). The top speed on electric power alone is 140 km/h (87 mph). And of course, Hans Zimmer has composed a backing track for the electric motor’s power delivery. The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system remains to be rear-biased, and apparently, is particularly noticeable in 4WD Sport mode. Drivers can also select 4WD Sand mode.

As for the battery pack, you got 25.7 kWh of usable capacity, which according to BMW, should get you anywhere between 82 and 88 km (51-55 mi) of pure-electric range.

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