It’s track ready. It’s set to take out for a long cruise. But wherever you drive it, expect to see plenty of folks wondering what the heck BMW had in mind with the new Concept XM.
Wild and ready, the BMW’s Concept XM made its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach.
The Bavarian automaker clearly made the right choice when it decided to unveil the prototype Monday at Art Basel Miami Beach. It’s as wild as the various one-off “art cars” the automaker has unleashed throughout the years with the help of folks like Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder and Frank Stella. But, in this case, BMW has every plan to roll out a production version of the XM starting late in 2022.
The overall design is “an extravagant statement by BMW M in the heart of the luxury segment,” according to Domagoj Dukec, vice president of BMW Design. “It has a resolutely standalone identity and embodies an expressive lifestyle like no other model in the BMW line-up.”
Abundant power
Before diving into the details, here are some basics:
- The Concept XM is only the second unique model ever for BMW’s high-performance M brand, coming more than 40 years after the legendary M1;
- It is the first “electrified” M model; and by that we mean a true M, not one of the halfway M Sport offerings;
- If the concept numbers hold, it would become the most powerful M model ever, the XM show car’s plug-in hybrid V-8 punching out 750 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of instant-on torque;
- The 20 kilowatt-hour battery should provide at least 30 miles of all-electric range — using the global WLTP test — at speeds up to 80 mph;
The exterior borrows some design elements from the recently introduced iX.
Add to that checklist: it pushes the design envelope even more aggressively than perhaps any other model in BMW’s long history.
Breaking with conventions
“The BMW Concept XM represents a complete re-imagining of the high-performance vehicle segment,” according to Frank van Meel, the CEO of BMW M GmbH. “It underlines the ability of BMW M GmbH to break with established conventions and push boundaries in order to offer fans of the brand the ultimate driving experience.”
BMW gave a handful of media outlets — including TheDetroitBureau.com — a sneak peek at the Concept XM a day ahead of the 2021 LA Auto Show. And while we were all sworn to secrecy, it created plenty of whispered buzz among those in attendance. The automaker hasn’t yet offered up much in the way of hard data but here’s what we’ve so far learned.
The Concept XM is only the second unique model ever for BMW’s high-performance M brand.
The drivetrain appears to be a heavily modified version of the automaker’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, paired with a plug-in hybrid system. How many motors and whether it has replaced conventional turbos with electric ones is unclear. But it was heavily influenced by BMW’s motorsports program, van Meel said in Los Angeles.
Not ready to go all-electric
Asked why the automaker didn’t go with a fully electric drivetrain, he explained that today’s batteries simply don’t have the juice to do more than a few laps on the track, where BMW expects many owners will want to take their production XM out on.
Hybrid technology is becoming commonplace in motorsports programs as diverse as Formula One and NASCAR. To go all-electric, van Meel explained, “If you look at a high-performance car (it presents) completely different challenges.” That’s not to say he’s ruling out an eventual M-badged BEV. “This is the next step and we’re now thinking about what an all-electric model would look like.”
Racing an SUV, whatever the source of power, is a relatively new concept for many high-performance fans, especially one this big. BMW isn’t providing specs but indicated the XM just might be a bit bigger than the 172-inch-long X8. The eight-spoke wheels, meanwhile measure 23 inches,
And we haven’t even gotten into the design of the show car yet.
A radical design
We’ve been seeing BMW tinker a lot with its front end styling of late, especially with models like the all-electric iX and various 4-Series models. Here, BMW tinkered with the familiar double-kidney grille, tapering it towards the outer edges of the XM’s front end while surrounding it in a double frame. The Concept XM’s aggressive lower bumper and crisply angled air intakes give the show car’s face a menacing presence — as does the long, sculpted hood that all but conceals the split headlamp modules, and the twin nostrils on the hood.
Inside the BMW Concept XM, the driver will find a distinctive M interpretation of driver-focused cockpit design.
The silhouette is equally radical with an array of sharp creases atop more subtle sculpting. A black belt line rides atop the greenhouse before reversing course and looping back toward the front wheel well. It divides the car up into two sections, the top portion finished in matte gold-bronze, the lower in Space Grey Metallic.
Then there’s the back end, with the inner portion of the roof settling several inches into its steeply raked hatch. The taillights flow from the tailgate well into the back quarter panels. Dual-branch, twin-tailpipes add a dramatic, but functional, flair – BMW claiming they’ve been tuned to both reduce engine back pressure while generating an “emotionally rich” exhaust note.
A mobile lounge
As for the cabin, says BMW, “Inside the BMW Concept XM, the driver will find a distinctive M interpretation of driver-focused cockpit design.” A single curved glass panel covers much of the instrument panel, combining both a digital gauge cluster and a widescreen infotainment display. Carbon fiber pieces cover much of the IP and feature interwoven copper threads. Additional red accents are meant to underscore the XM’s sporting nature. The doors and front seats are finished in a rich cordovan leather that with the texture of a favorite leather coat.
The quilted fabric of the rear seat in the Concept XM is done in aquamarine.
It’s the back seat that really heads off in a new direction. BMW calls it a “Lounge,” a popular term with automakers these days, it seems. But it certainly isn’t like a traditional cabin. The rear bench is finished in a vibrant aquamarine — with seat bottoms made of a quilted fabric, while the backs are a matte-finish leather. The floor, meanwhile, features deep pile carpeting, while a thick headliner uses both direct and indirect lighting, BMW says, to transform into what a press release describes as “a work of art.”
So, the obvious question is just how much of the BMW Concept M actually will survive the transition from show car to production vehicle?
Headed for production
Van Meel’s cryptic answer? “Not everything you see will be in the series production car, but it will look very much like this one.”
A wise bet would suggest that some of the biggest changes will be found in the passenger compartment, especially in the rear, er, lounge. Surprisingly, BMW officials seemed to suggest that the odd back end of the roof could carry over, as might those massive tires.
As for the drivetrain, that’s likely to come in close to what we see with the concept. There’s growing pressure on BMW and other luxury and performance brands to deliver products that can run in all-electric mode, at least when entering urban centers such as London, Paris or Beijing.
Expect to find out more sometime next year. Production of the BMW XM will begin in late 2022 at the automaker’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Keyword: First Look: BMW Concept XM is Likely to Turn the “Controversy” Dial Up to 11