Let’s rewind the clock to the early 1970s. BMW was on an upward trajectory thanks to the success of its Neue Klasse 1500 models, and it had been doing extremely well in various racing disciplines throughout Europe.
It was time to revitalize the brand with some sporty road cars to complement the compact 2002s and luxurious sedans. To better promote the marque’s sporting intent, the M division was formed in May 1972 as a sub-brand within the company that would focus on low-volume, high-performance sports cars.
We have had some iconic M cars over the year, many of which moved the technological goalposts so far down the road that it took the competition years to catch up. Over the past five decades we have had every type of powertrain, engine and cylinder size, as well as body style, receiving the M treatment.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, BMW decided to release an M car like no other. At first glance, the XM seems to be an amalgamation of every bit of tech that the brand had at its disposal, wrapped in an SUV body. But like most M cars, it needs to be driven to be appreciated, and that’s what we did to see whether the BMW XM deserves its M badge.
The 1970s Revolution
The ‘70s signaled a new era for BMW. In 1973, the famous ‘four-cylinder’ tower was constructed and became its headquarters, and M-branded sports cars began rolling off the production line.
Among these were the 3.0 CSL Batmobile and the mid-engined M1, both featuring race-inspired engines and performance to match contemporary supercars.
Modern-day M
Fast-forward 50 years, and the M Division has expanded its products to every corner of the BMW model range.
The BMW XM SUV you see here was designed to celebrate this impressive milestone, and we drove it to see whether this 480kW beast is worthy of representing its forebears.
First Impressions
Most M cars are judged on their performance capabilities, but the XM makes a visual statement that demands your attention above all else. The front end has aggressive lines, slashes, and a glowing kidney grille.
Traditional M fans may cringe at the idea of a massive SUV heading up the M range. Still, passersby loved the XM’s bold design language everywhere we took it. The interior will be a bit more familiar to owners of modern BMWs, and it certainly looks as upmarket and luxurious as you’d expect from a range-topper.
The Drive
When it was launched, the XM was the most powerful production BMW ever. With 480kW at its disposal, it responded like a supercar to throttle inputs and didn’t relent at higher speeds. One aspect that took a little getting used to was how the throttle modulation changed between petrol and electric modes. There is an elephant in the room, though, and it weighs 2,795 kg.
That kind of kerb weight can take the edge off even 480kW, and the XM’s acceleration figures are a few tenths behind other quick M cars and a few SUV rivals, too. That is where the even more powerful XM Label comes in.
Its 70 additional kilowatts should certainly make a difference, even though at no point during our time with the car did we feel like it needed more power. The good news is you won’t have to worry about deciding between the two, as SA is only getting the standard model for now.
And if you thought that the XM was an anomaly, the upcoming M5 looks to follow much the same performance recipe. Including the massive weight.
Interior
The interior is a mix of 7 Series luxury and M car sportiness. The 3D headlining design, LED accent lights, and super-comfortable seats all add to the feeling that you are in something special.
The rear seats are even more luxurious, with tons of leg- and headroom and little M-branded pillows for your head.
Tech Specs
It may be one of the priciest BMWs, but the XM is fitted with every conceivable luxury and tech feature. From advanced autonomous driver assists to massaging front seats and Merino leather seats, there aren’t many options you need to tick.
We’d only recommend the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System. It is one of the most impressive automotive audio systems in any car. Aside from that, every trim gets a 12.3-inch driver display and 14.9-inch infotainment screen, obviously with full wireless smartphone connectivity.
Available XM models
The XM comes with a plug-in hybrid 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, offers around 50km of all-electric range from its 25.7kWh (net) battery pack. When both power sources are called into action you can get from 0-100km/h in 4.3-seconds.
The hybrid system allows you to drive up to around 50km on pure electric power. We found it worked great around town, where the V8 engine was hardly ever called into action. This is a Plug-In Hybrid, and the battery can be charged in a little over 3 hours using a 7.4 kW wall box. The engine can also charge the battery while on the move. Despite the massive performance and weight, we achieved a very impressive 11.5 l/100km on a long trip with the battery charged to around the 50% mark.
| Model
|
XM
|
| Engine | 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 + Electric motor
|
| Combined Power Output
|
480 kW
|
| 0-100km/h | 3.8 seconds
|
| Electric range
|
49.6 km
|
| Pricing
|
R 3,400,000
|
Should You Buy One?
If you are looking for the most powerful and visually aggressive vehicle BMW currently offers, the XM should be on your shortlist. It isn’t quite the focused sports car like traditional M models, but it goes, stops, and turns as well as any performance SUV.
The hybrid system works very well, helping boost economy and power. At the same time, the interior is as comfortable and opulent as a luxury sedan. It may not be the best M car ever, but the XM excels at more things all at once than any BMW has done before.
In many ways, it signifies a crossroads in automotive technology, rather than the culmination of all things M. You can make your own mind up about how it looks, but it certainly got a lot of positive comments wherever we went.
For traditionalists, the 412kW BMW 3.0 CSL unveiled at the same time will be more up their street.
