BMW Sets the Bar (Again) with Much-Anticipated XM
Story by Dwain Hebda // Photography by Onyx
Throughout its long and storied history, BMW has distinguished itself by bringing high-performance luxury vehicles to market. All signs point to this legacy continuing with the highly anticipated XM, the most advanced SUV yet from the iconic German automaker.
It’s not often a vehicle comes along that transcends its category to create a whole new class, but the forthcoming BMW XM SUV holds the promise to accomplish just that, said Jake Koch, general sales manager with Onyx Automotive in Omaha.
“There’s a lot of people who are looking forward to this vehicle coming out,” Koch said. “BMW released the i4 and the iX last year, and all of those, in the third and fourth quarter, really started moving people into the showrooms. Now with the XM coming out, it’s going to be the biggest and baddest electric vehicle that BMW offers. It’s already generating a lot of excitement and interest.”
Currently available for preorder, Koch said he expects the hybrid vehicle to start delivery by mid-summer. But the hype machine has been in full swing for some time, with BMW enthusiasts captivated by the XM’s radical design features, technology, and power, which are delivered from both a thoroughbred engine and an advanced electric motor.
“This is the most powerful SUV that BMW has ever produced,” Koch said. “It’s 644 horsepower comes from a 4.4 liter V8 twin turbo engine. It also has a high-performance electric motor with it.”
As Drew Dorian noted recently in Car & Driver, applying a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 “isn’t new to the BMW powertrain portfolio,” but pairing it with the electric motor and battery pack breaks new ground.
“[We] estimated that it should get the XM to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds,” Dorian wrote. “That will put it in the same neighborhood as performance SUVs such as the Lamborghini Urus and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid.”
BMW pairs this power with control; the 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and hybrid module is married to a coil spring suspension system, engaging active anti-roll bars and adaptive dampers to provide a sure feel in Comfort Mode, which is ideal for road trips. Meanwhile, the Sport Mode brings out the XM’s spunkier side, responsive and nimble on any twisty-turny route drivers might venture down.
As for the XM’s innovative electric motor, BMW estimates the 25.7-kWh battery pack covers about 30 miles of electric-only operation per charge. Recharging the battery is also a technological advancement as the onboard charger hums along at up to 7.4 kW, putting estimated recharging time at about three hours.
Design and interior elements meet even the most discriminating driver’s expectations. The external lines and gaping grill openings make an immediate impression.
“The first thing about it is the exterior, which in my opinion, has got a very aggressive stance,” Koch said. “It also sports 23-inch wheels and will actually have the first-ever vertical quad exhaust on it.”
Past the gleaming exterior, available in seven colors, the two-row cabin surrounds occupants in luxurious appointments and the latest technology, starting with the expansive curved dash display that has a futuristic, but intuitive, cockpit-like feel.
Overhead, a sculpted ceiling delivers a unique spacial element, complete with ambient lighting. Merino leather multifunction seats lend comfort throughout while the available Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System completes the sophisticated cabin environment. Everything about the vehicle’s aesthetic, down to the laser-etched roundels, demonstrate attention to detail, all of which is music to the BMW owner’s ears, Koch said.
“The biggest thing that our clients look for out of BWM would be performance luxury,” he said. “But our typical client also wants some of the finer features out there as far as the interior is concerned like the leather and those sorts of things.”
Altogether, Koch said the XM is not only a quantum leap forward for the high-performance SUV class, a rare feat in itself, but represents an exciting new chapter in the evolution of the legendary BMW brand.
“First and foremost, our clients really want their vehicle to perform and the XM matches that expectation like no other,” he said. “I think that as far as being the next step in the evolution of the brand, everybody’s moving towards being able to offer electric vehicles. This will be one of the most exciting, high-performing electric vehicles out on the market.”
— JAKE KOCH
BMWusa.com reports the XM’s starting MSRP as $159,000.
Visit onyxautomotive.com for more information.
