The 2023 BMW XM Is a 644-HP Plug-In V8 SUV That Ain’t Winning Any Beauty Contests
The BMW XM is for those who believe that more is more.
Forty years after the subbrand debuted with its first and only bespoke model, BMW M is having another go at building a car just for itself. Instead of another low-slung, mid-engine supercar, however, it's a plug-in hybrid SUV. Seemingly created as an unapologetic vessel of excess, the 2023 BMW XM is here to terrorize our eyes, ears, and streets with an electrified V8 and some very, um, self-confident styling.
Under the hood sits a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 making 483 hp on its own. Throw in a 194-hp electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission for better throttle response and the whole system makes a total 644 hp. Zero to 60 mph happens in 4.1 seconds and top speed is capped at 155 mph or 168 mph with the M Driver's Package. This being a plug-in, the XM can indeed run on electricity alone, with a 25.7-kWh battery delivering an electric-only range of 30 miles and able to AC charge at up to 7.4 kW. The XM is able to silently travel at speeds of up to 87 mph.
Rear-biased all-wheel drive features three modes: regular 4WD, 4WD Sport which further prioritizes the rear axle, or 4WD Sand for loose surfaces. No drift-happy 2WD mode here, apparently. The front axle uses double wishbones while Adaptive M Suspension Professional is standard. A 48-volt active roll stabilization system combats body roll while maintaining straight-line comfort. As a first for BMW M, the XM will get rear-wheel steering or, as BMW's marketing department calls it, Integral Active Steering.
For those looking for even more power, a 735-hp XM Label Red—not XM Competiton or XM CS, XM Label Red—will be coming next summer and be the first in a series of "Label" XMs. It also marks the first new high-performance BMW suffix in a while.
Let's talk about the way it looks, though. It's pretty similar to the concept we saw back in November, which means a hulking SUV body with some divergently bold details. Judging from the reactions it's already sparked in The Drive's newsroom, it's sure to be yet another polarizing design from BMW but, for what it's worth, I weirdly do not hate the front end. Boxy and butch, it looks like it came off of a BMW body-on-frame truck or something. In terms of scale, the 6,062-pound (!) XM is marginally smaller than the X7 but bigger than X6.
Extensive gold accents and standard 23-inch wheels (slightly more sensible 22s can be had as an option) are sure to appeal to luxury buyers who absolutely must let everybody know of their supposed wealth. The taillights are blacked out when they aren't on, quad exhaust tips are vertically stacked, and BMW logos are laser-engraved at the top of the rear window as a nod to that other bespoke M car, the M1. Those center caps that nonchalantly just read "BMW" instead of having the full logo ooze Balenciaga hoodie vibes.
The 2023 BMW XM will start at $159,995 and be produced in Spartanburg, South Carolina starting Q4 2022.
Got a tip or question for the author about the XM? You can reach him here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com
