Potent 641bhp BMW XM nears production
The mighty BMW XM SUV is nearing production, and the German manufacturer has released photos and details of the car as it reaches the end of its dynamic testing programme. Still clad in camouflage, the XM is due to go into production in the US at the Spartanburg plant in December 2022, accompanying the 50th anniversary of BMW’s M performance division. According to BMW, the XM will ‘redefine high performance, luxury and sovereignty’ when it arrives in early 2023.
Unlike the all-electric iX, the XM is powered by a newly developed V8 petrol engine, paired with plug-in hybrid electric drive and a battery pack, for a combined output of 644bhp with 590lb ft of torque. It’s paired with the first ‘hybrid-specific’ M xDrive four-wheel drive system. The XM has an electric driving range of up to 50 miles, which should help it achieve reasonable fuel-efficiency figures, despite its performance bent. It is also said to feature an ‘almost perfect 50:50 axle-load distribution’ and will come with adaptive M Professional suspension as standard. This includes adaptive dampers, and – for the first time in an M model – 48-volt active roll stabilisation to keep the XM flat in corners.
The XM is being tested on the motorway, on country roads, in the city and on steep mountain passes, and features a ‘particularly powerful electric motor’, that has ‘instantaneous power delivery ensuring dynamic acceleration, for example when starting off at traffic lights or exiting a town.’ Alloy wheels of up to 23-inches in diameter will be offered, but BMW hasn’t forgotten about ride comfort, stating that how the preproduction models react to ‘ruts, bumps or dirty stretches of road’ are accurately recorded and used to fine-tune the chassis. Franciscus van Meel, BMW M chairman, said: «Electrification gives us new opportunities to demonstrate that unmistakable M feeling in a fascinating way and transfer it to the road. Regardless of their drive technology, our performance and high-performance cars will continue to possess an unmistakable and authentic M character in the future.»