Hybrid crossover BMW XM became the most expensive and slow “emka”

The mountain gave birth to a mouse. When BMW first unveiled the XM crossover concept – the second “own” model of the M-division after the iconic M1 – BMW officials promised the most powerful car in the history of the brand. The debut of the hybrid XM is also timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of M GmbH: this is how the company wants to mark the transition to gradual electrification.

In Russia, most XM will look like this
Let’s start with the main one. Under the hood is a 4.4 V8 engine with the S68 index, which the company uses on all “older” M-models, starting with the M5. Rumors that for the sake of tax breaks in China, the car will be equipped with a smaller ICE, have not been confirmed. But the return of the “eight” is limited to 489 liters. With. and 650 Nm, while on other serial “emkas” its power easily exceeds 600 forces.

Instead of a torque converter, a traction motor is mounted in the body of the 8-speed “automatic” ZF, which adds another 145 kW (197 hp) and 280 Nm to the output of the gasoline engine. As a result, the peak power of the hybrid power plant was 653 hp. With. and 800 Nm – and these are really the highest rates in the history of BMW.

A 29.5 kWh lithium-ion battery is installed under the floor (of which only 25.7 kWh are used). The XM can go all-electric (electric mode is available for this; there are also Hybrid and eControl recuperation modes), but no faster than 140 km / h. In this case, the power reserve will be 82-88 km in the WLTP cycle. The operating voltage of the battery is 317 V, the maximum charging power is only 7.4 kW, that is, it will be possible to replenish the stock of a discharged battery in 4 hours and 15 minutes.

Due to electrical intricacies, the car turned out to be very heavy: equipped XM weighs 2710 kg without driver. This is 110 kg more than the X7 M60i and immediately 400 more than the X5 M Competition.
As a result, the hybrid BMW picks up the first “hundred” in 4.3 seconds, and the maximum speed is limited to 250 km / h – the figures are exactly the same as those of the M240i xDrive coupe for 56 thousand euros, while all “full-fledged emki ‘ noticeably faster. For a surcharge, the limiter can be pushed up to 270 km / h, but the same X5 M with an optional package can go 20 km / h faster. In the fall of 2023, a more powerful version of XM Label Red will debut with a return of 748 hp. With. and 1000 Nm (which, apparently, was discussed during the announcement), but it’s probably not worth waiting for records from it in terms of dynamics.

Outrageous appearance is an attempt by BMW to attract the attention of the rich from the US, China and the Middle East: these are the markets that will be the main ones for XM. In terms of dimensions (5110 x 2005 x 1755 mm), the car occupies a place between the X5 and X7, but the trunk volume of the hybrid is smaller: 527 liters.
Among the unusual design solutions are two-story optics, a window line rising to the rear pillar and hexagonal exhaust pipes with a vertical arrangement. Branded “nostrils” are framed by LED lighting: customers love this.

There is no BMW logo on the body of the fifth door: like the M1, two logos are applied along the edges of the rear of the body (in the case of a crossover, in the upper corners of the glass). The base wheels have a diameter of 21 inches, but for a surcharge, of course, you can choose 22- and even 23-inch wheels.
The machine is built on the same CLAR platform as the models mentioned above, but the chassis design has been changed. This is the first “emka” with a steering rear axle (albeit at an angle of only 2.5 degrees) and active anti-roll bars (the actuators are powered by a 48-volt network). The machine is standardly equipped with M Professional suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers. xDrive all-wheel drive is standard: an active differential is installed on the rear axle, and the front wheels are connected via a multi-plate clutch. The company does not yet offer carbon-ceramic brakes for the XM: six-piston mechanisms are installed in the front, single-piston ones in the rear.

The salon of the serial crossover turned out to be more modest than that of the concept. The brown leather with a vintage effect is still retained, but BMW abandoned the velvet trim in the rear of the cabin, replacing the fabric with leather in a contrasting shade. A curved BMW Live Cockpit Professional panel is installed in front of the driver from two displays: a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen of the multimedia system. The composer Hans Zimmer, who also had a hand in the new BMW 7 Series, was involved in the “voice acting” of the salon. And Bowers & Wilkins.

Production of the XM at the BMW Group plant in Spartanburg (USA) will begin in December, and the cars will arrive in the dealer network in the spring of 2023. Preliminary prices are already known: the hybrid crossover will be the most expensive serial BMW. The price list will start at $159,000, which is just $25,000 more than the BMW M8 Competition.