BMW is celebrating 50 years of its M performance division this year. The company has already introduced an M4 CSL (which you can read about here). Earlier this year the automaker also showed us the XM concept. And now the production BMW XM has just been unveiled. 

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The good news for local fans is that the vehicle will be at the upcoming BMW M Festival taking place in a few weeks. And, if you are in the market, the model goes on sale in SA from the second quarter of next year.

Buy now and take advantage of free delivery in South Africa on orders over R349.

Standalone Offering

The production BMW XM is the first standalone M product since the M1 of the 1970s. The M1 was a two-seater, mid-engined sportscar with RWD and a race-derived engine. The XM is none of those things. The newer model is an SUV, or SAV as BMW prefers, that can seat four, has luggage space, is AWD and is powered by a front-mounted engine that is electrified. Oh, and it weighs the better part of 2,8 tons

In Yer Face

The styling of the production BMW XM is not far off from the concept. It is quite a large and imposing vehicle with generous dimensions and a prominent set of ‘kidney’ grilles. The XM rides on 21-inch alloys as standard. BMW offers up to 23 inchers for those who want to stand out even more.

Lounge-like

BMW has designed the XM’s interior to feel like a lounge, particularly at the rear. This sensation is underlined with specially designed cushions and heated backrests that extend well into the sides of the rear compartment. A sculptural headliner boasts a 3D prism structure and illumination via 100 LED units.

The driver is faced by a model-specific M leather steering wheel, along with M-specific graphics in the cluster. These include shift lights for the BMW Curved Display and BMW Head-Up Display. Standard specification includes M multifunction seats, knee pads and a Harman Kardon surround sound system.

Most Powerful

The production BMW XM is the most powerful M car to ever go on sale to the public. It boasts a twin-turbocharged 4,4-litre V8 engine that delivers 360 kW of power. Peak power is lifted to 480 kW along with 800 N.m of torque thanks to a 145 kW electric component. The ‘regular’ XM is said to dispatch the benchmark 0-100 km/h acceleration test in 4,3 seconds.

Later in 2023, BMW will introduce a ‘Red Label’ derivative. That version boasts 550 kW and 1 000 N.m of twist effort. Regardless of the power level drive is directed to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The BMW XM can also be driven on electric power alone for up to 82 kW.