The BMW XM is Here!

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

And do we dare ask what you think of the design aesthetic? I bet we can guess how you're all feeling about it. BMW has made 3 big announcements (4 including MINI) in the past few weeks. Here's a breakdown:

• New M Hybrid V8 LMDh race car

• 2023 Z4 roadster

• The first-ever high-performance vehicle from BMW M with an electrified powertrain, the XM.

On the surface, the BMW XM is a uniquely styled, 644-horsepower, 590-pound-feet-of-torque, 6,062-pound machine that BMW thinks is performant enough to be worthy of an M designation.

As previously reported, the XM will use BMW’s all-new S68 engine, making this unique model a plug-in hybrid. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 will make 483 horsepower on its own. The electric motor integrated into the XM’s eight-speed M Steptronic transmission boosts horsepower numbers by 194 for a grand total of 644 horsepower at 5,400 rpm. Torque is up from the original estimates of 500 pound-feet to a confirmed 590 between 1,600 and 5,000 rpm.

As this M car has “X” in its name, it will be fitted with the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. With all-wheel drive and an M launch control system, BMW reports 0-60 mph goes by in just 4.1 seconds. Not bad for a vehicle with a reported curb weight of 6,062 pounds. Estimates put the XM in the high 5,000-pound range, but the official numbers show it eclipsing 6,000 pounds. BMW reports, “Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, or 168 mph if the optional M Driver’s Package is specified. The top speed in pure electric mode is 87 mph.”

More details here.