For the first time, BMW M is showcasing the BMW Concept XM, an expressive new car concept, on a worldwide platform. The design foreshadows the manufacturing of the most powerful BMW M vehicle ever, which is expected to commence at the end of next year. The reveal took place at Art Basel’s 2021 Miami Beach show.
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The power of electrification taken to new levels
The BMW Concept XM highlights the M brand’s most distinctive features. Electrification supports an exceptional driving experience that enables the driver to glide along in near quiet while still enjoying the time-honored pleasures of M-style high performance. The BMW Concept XM shows the new front-end design for BMW’s next luxury-class cars for the first time.
It will also show off a very innovative and unique take on the BMW X model design, as well as an entirely new level of luxury and feeling of space for the inside.
The BMW XM will be produced in series from the end of 2022 at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the United States, which will be the most significant market for the new high-performance automobile.
In the year it celebrates its 50th anniversary, BMW M will unveil its first independent car since the famous BMW M1. The BMW XM will be offered solely as a plug-in hybrid and as an M variant.
“The BMW Concept XM represents a complete re-imagining of the high-performance car segment,” says Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “It underlines the ability of BMW M GmbH to break with established conventions and push boundaries in order to offer fans of the brand the ultimate driving experience. The series-production car – the first pure BMW M model since the legendary BMW M1 – also shows how we are approaching the step-by-step electrification of our brand.”
The Concept XM’s aggressive outward style mirrors the car’s excellent performance characteristics: dynamism, agility, and accuracy, as well as an all-electric range of up to 80 kilometers.
In the BMW Concept XM, the newly developed M Hybrid drive system combines a V8 engine with a high-performance electric powerplant to provide a maximum output of 550 kW/750 hp and peak torque of 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft). As a result, BMW M GmbH’s first electric car in the high-performance class is setting the stage for the brand’s future.
BMW M is on its own on this adventure
“The design of the BMW Concept XM is an extravagant statement by BMW M in the heart of the luxury segment,” says Domagoj Dukec, Head of BMW Design. “It has a unique identity and embodies an expressive lifestyle like no other model in the BMW line-up.”
BMW M GmbH is pioneering a unique route in the premium category with the BMW Concept XM. The car’s appearance emphasizes charismatic appeal and personality.
Inside, a unique take on the driver-focused cockpit for which M models are known collides with an all-new rear compartment design: the M Lounge provides passengers a sumptuous refuge with its high-comfort seats and lit, sculptural headlining.
A front end made to immediately catch your eye
The BMW Concept XM introduces BMW’s new advanced front-end design for luxury-class cars, which will be shown for the first time in 2022 as part of BMW’s luxury-model offensive. The headlamps have been separated into two independent components, a new design element that produces a striking visual effect.
The elegantly designed, slender top module’s daytime driving light signature is especially eye-catching. The horizontal kidney grille stands boldly between the headlights and tapers towards the outer borders, creating a near-octagonal design that emphasizes the dynamic nature of the front end.
The black kidney grille pieces are encased in an elaborate frame that makes them seem to float freely inside a High-gloss Black surface. Within the grille, M-style twin bars contribute to the impression of breadth. The dramatic composition of kidneys and daytime driving lights is instantly recognized in the dark, thanks to eye-catching contour lighting that shows off the grille to great advantage.
The massive air intakes and new XM logo in the kidney grille hint at the might of the V8 engine, which works in tandem with the electric motor to create the M Hybrid system.
BMW Concept XM seen from the side
The BMW Concept XM’s muscular and deeply sculpted proportions emphasize the car’s fiercely autonomous identity and bring attention to the body’s coupé-like nature. A characterful two-box design with a unique silhouette is presented by the visually appealing front end, long bonnet, and extended, sloping roofline.
As it reaches the back, the window graphic narrows substantially, adding to the dynamic of the side view.
The BMW Concept XM’s two-tone paint treatment emphasizes its striking lines even more: the top half is matte gold-bronze, while the bottom section is Space Grey metallic. A thick, high-gloss black line divides the two exterior colors below the window image. The car’s trademark M external mirrors give it a sharp, technological, sporting look.
The charging flap on the front-left wheel facing backward is a reminder of the M Hybrid drive system in action.
The car’s dynamic, contemporary vibe is emphasized across the side view by purposely short character lines that begin strongly before fading gradually. The expressive rear lights reach further into the car’s sides, creating a striking transition to the back.
The black cladding that distinguishes BMW X models above the wheels and on the side skirts is sharply defined and elevates the body. The extended body rides on 23-inch light-alloy wheels, which give the side view more power and firmness.
A rear to die for
The BMW Concept XM cuts a low and athletic figure from this viewpoint, and the rear end design emphasizes the car’s muscular stature. The rear window blends in nearly perfectly with the rest of the vehicle.
The positioning of the BMW insignia, which is laser-etched onto the glass below each of the two cant rails, exemplifies the innovative take on the design. This is a stylistic nod to the BMW M1, which is the only standalone vehicle built solely by BMW M GmbH to date.
Lower down, the car’s muscular posture on the road is highlighted by visibly flared wheel arches. To contribute to the appearance, the rear lights are very narrow and brazenly L-shaped, stretching virtually the whole width of the vehicle.
When not in use, the lights seem black, but when turned on, they change to a precise and consistent shade of red. The iconic twin tailpipes of BMW M vehicles dominate the rear apron. The dual-branch, twin-tailpipe exhaust system used here decreases backpressure while also producing the emotionally rich M-typical noise that goes along with the engine’s tremendous power output.
The tailpipes’ vertical placement and hexagonal interpretation give this traditional feature a fresh lease of life.
Reinvented M interior
The driver will discover a unique M version of driver-focused cockpit design inside the BMW Concept XM. With their forceful geometry and high-quality materials, the lines and surface design of the instrument panel, center console, door trim, and seats give the atmosphere in the front compartment a progressive feel.
Brown leather with a vintage aesthetic, copper, and carbon fiber provide a link between luxury and motorsport. A prominent trim feature creates a visible barrier between the driver’s compartment and the rest of the vehicle.
A sporty and distinctive platform for screens, air vents, and control/operating components is created within the cockpit area by a beautiful surface composed of carbon fiber with interlaced copper thread. Above it, the new BMW Curved Display screen grouping strikes a nice compromise between conventional driver concentration and current digitality.
M-specific red highlights on the steering wheel and center console hint at the car’s sports prowess. The core of the center console is a trio of vertical pieces in the three colors of the BMW M brand insignia.
The front compartment’s steadfast driving attention contrasts with the BMW Concept XM’s lavish and luxury lounge-like environment in the back. The rear seats are transformed into the exclusive M Lounge with exclusive materials, visually compelling surfaces, and expressive accents, with black-tinted rear side windows emphasizing the sensation of solitude.
The cockpit is dominated by warm brown leather, while the back is decked out in the deep color tone Petrol. The spacious rear seat bench, with its deep seat recesses, creates a relaxing environment. Only the diamond-shaped section of the head restraints is leather-trimmed, which serves the same supportive function as the BMW M Sport seats in other models.
With its rich velvet upholstery and diamond quilting, the bottom parts of the seats provide great comfort and a distinctive couch character. Deep-pile carpeting with a diamond pattern completes the opulent look.
