The BMW XM won't stop the large coupe-SUV's arrival.
The shock that is the BMW XM hasn't entirely worn off yet. Revealed two weeks ago as the first standalone BMW M car since the M1, the XM has achieved about as much universal acclaim as the 2008 parody film, Meet The Spartans. For the record, that film's approval rating is an XM-like 2% on some review sites. But with the production XM on the way, what does this mean for the BMW X8?
While originally it was thought that the X8 and XM were one and the same, until BMW confirmed the latter's name, the X8 has been earmarked as another high-end, full-size SUV – but with an even sportier edge than the X7. Well, it turns out that the X8 is very much still in the works according to a new report from the German publication, Auto Bild.
According to the publication, the X8 will start at around €100,000 (about $113,000) and should show its face sometime next year. The report claims that the X8 will be a coupe offshoot of the X7, which makes sense since all even-numbered BMWs – from the 2 Series to the X6 – are either traditional coupes or coupe-SUVs.
While we've previously seen loads of spy shots of prototypes for the XM (pictured here), the news of the X8 being in the works means that the two SUVs could've been in development together, especially as some of the prototypes didn't have the same rear roofline as the XM. Does that mean the X8 will get the big grille treatment and double-stacked tailpipes? Quite possibly, albeit likely to a lesser degree than the XM. BMW has already gone on record saying that high-end models will feature bold designs, so the X8 could inherit some polarizing cues.
At this stage, it's difficult to glean much about the X8's design as we're not sure which of the prototypes doing the rounds might be for it. However, we can summise that the X8 will likely use similar powertrains to both the X7 and the XM itself, with the potential for the 750-horsepower hybrid powertrain to find its way under the hood of the rumored X8 M which was trademarked last year. That setup would combine an electric system with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 from the X5 M. Lower down, expect a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 335 horsepower and a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 523 hp.
Either way, SUV fans with deep pockets will have a much broader BMW lineup to choose from in the near future.
Keyword: Don't Panic! BMW X8 Is Still Coming Next Year