BMW XM PROTOTYPE

BMW's M performance car division presents its second-ever stand-alone production model, albeit in work-in-progress pre-production form

- GREG KABLE

FIRST DRIVES

NEW CARS TESTED AND RATED

TESTED 11.5.22, SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

ON SALE MARCH 2023

PRICE £170,000 (EST)

Despite BMW M division’s lofty standing, it has only ever made one truly stand-alone production model: the M1. The low-slung 3.5-litre six-cylinder mid-engined supercar was built in a limited run of 453 between 1978 and 1981.

Over the years, many concepts have hinted at a modern-day resurrection of the M1. But in a sign of just how diversified the BMW M line-up has become, and perhaps an even more pointed indication of where its future focus lies, it has followed up its original supercar with the car you see here in prototype form ahead of a planned launch in March next year: the new XM.

Initially previewed in concept guise in November last year, the XM is based on the recently facelifted X7, alongside which it is set to begin production at parent company BMW’s Spartanburg plant in the US state of South Carolina in December.

Unlike the X7, though, the XM is planned to be sold exclusively as an M model using the company’s first-ever petrol-electric plug-in hybrid unit delivering up to 740bhp.

“It is logical to do an SUV,” says Frank van Meel, CEO of BMW M. “The performance SUV segment is now the biggest globally, and it has lots of potential for further growth.”

The XM complements BMW M’s growing line-up of pure-electric M Performance models, including the i4 M50, the iX M50 and, more recently unveiled, the iX M60.