BMW couldn’t mark the 50th anniversary of its high-performance M division with an old concept vehicle. Instead, the German automaker took advantage of a rock star aesthetic that David Lee Roth would be proud of with a plug-in hybrid concept that blends V8 performance with next-level M design.
The XM-SUV plug-in hybrid concept – internally appropriate code name “Rock Star” (we will come to that later) – is the second pure M vehicle ever.
The XM SUV that TechCrunch checked out in Los Angeles earlier this month won’t end up in the concept car’s garbage can. After some massages to comply with regulations, it will go into production in 2022. And according to the automaker, the XM SUV will come pretty close to the outrageous concept that was shown in Los Angeles earlier this month. This is good news for extroverts.
The BMW XM is based on the automaker’s SUV range and the M vehicle legacy, but complements these designs with flying colors. The lines are more aggressive. The rear of the study with its cat-like LED lights, a BMW logo milled into the glass and an M Quad exhaust is unique in the automaker’s product line. Instead of the horizontally arranged tubes, the hexagonal end tubes are mounted vertically on either side of a wide diffuser. At the front, the large kidney grille has its very own LED-framed treatment.
Everything on the vehicle screams: “Look at me!” – that’s exactly what the automaker wanted.
Credit: BMW
“The feedback from our customers is that they really love our cars. In the next step, however, they would like to have even more expressive luxury in their cars, ”said Franciscus van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW M, at the unveiling of the vehicle.
According to BMW, these customers are extroverted, expressive nonconformists who would likely cross the XM against the Lamborghini Urus and the Mercedes G-Class, even though BMW has not yet shared the prices.
Then there is the interior, which somehow manages to overshadow the “look at me” exterior.
Credit: BMW
The exterior is essentially a mid-2000s Toyota Camry compared to what goes on inside. The first row is upholstered in what BMW calls “vintage brown” leather and is specially designed for performance and driver orientation. The back seat? Imagine Russel Brand’s bedroom and that is what BMW did with the XM for the rear passengers. The back seat and the floor are covered with blue or green velvet to convey a lounge. All that’s missing is a lava lamp and a bowl of M & Ms, all of the brown ones removed.
A headlining with a crystal structure is located above the driver and passengers. It is illuminated indirectly from the sides and, when lit, really looks like a work of art or at least similar to a laser show in a planetarium.
If BMW manages to sync the lights with Tame Impala’s latest album, it will have a winner with a certain music and herb additive fans in its hands.
Credit: BMW
The Rolling Music Club is an amalgamation of the automaker’s V8 and plug-in hybrid technology. Together, the powertrain puts out 750 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque. BMW didn’t share any information on battery capacity, but said it is aiming for an EPA-approved range of 30 miles in EV-only mode. Not quite on par with offers from Toyota. But more than enough to quietly walk away from the venue without attracting too much interest. Except of course, the design and the shiny kidney grille are striking.
Credit: BMW
According to BMW M Head of Design Marcus Syring, the XM should always be something special. The BMW board of directors specifically asked the designers to shock them with something they did not expect.
“BMW is continuously developing these specific high-tech models and is exploring really new areas with the i3 and i8, but also with the iX,” Syring told TechCrunch at the end of the evening. “We’re researching something. It’s the same with this car (XM). It’s very unique and we’re trying new things. “
In an industry that regularly calls on rock stars and their music to sell a vehicle, BMW’s M division built the vehicle equivalent of former Van Halen front man David Lee Roth. It’s loud, flamboyant, ready to “bring it” and happy to hug you in velvet at the end of the day.
