2023 BMW XM Rendered With a Whole Lotta Grille, But That's Not the CGI

Why controversial? Glad you asked that, because this will be the M Division’s first standalone product since the iconic M1 launched in the late 1970s, and we think purists will be annoyed by two things. First, there is that crossover body style, something that the average Joe cannot get enough of these days, and second, the not-so-pretty design.

Sure, it has evolved a bit from the Concept XM that is about to turn six months old in just a few days, but it’s still not head-turning for the right reasons. You might think that the renderings, shared in the image gallery above, which came from the peeps at Kolesa, are a simple digital take on the model, with lots of ‘trust me, bro’ kind of attitude, but they are very realistic actually, as we already mentioned in the intro.

They build on last week’s scoops, digitally peeling away the fake skin to reveal a split-headlamp signature, something that BMW has been criticized about recently, in addition to the bucktooth grille. And the latter is present here as well, with the nostrils occupying a good chunk of the front end, and protruding into the hood. One thing that was changed by the pixel manipulator was the design of the front bumper, which looks more aggressive here in the central part, and less controversial on the sides.

Out back, however, they retained the original styling of the bumper, and diffuser. The stacked tailpipes are still present, and so are the vertical reflectors sitting below the LED taillights. The latter will probably have a very slim shape, and could be separated towards the middle of the tailgate by the BMW roundel, which could be similar to those featured on the 2023 M4 CSL for a limited amount of time, and perhaps an ‘XM’ logo. Inspired by the ones equipping the show car, the wheels are another novelty here, and they do have a very Rolls-Royce-ish appearance. The glossy black over fenders, front, side, and rear attachments provide contrast to the green body.

It is understood that the BMW XM will launch with a new V8 engine, assisted by electricity. The total output should be rated at around 650 hp, and it might have 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque available via the right pedal. If the latest intel hold water, then we could expect an even punchier version, with almost 100 horsepower more than the standard one, and perhaps 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. And the model won’t just be fast, but quite frugal, and not that polluting either, as thanks to the plug-in hybrid powertrain, it is understood to be able to travel for up to 50 miles (80 km) in the all-quiet, zero-emission mode on the WLTP cycle.

Around three seconds from naught to 60 mph (0-97 kph) is nothing to write home about when talking about high-end performance models, but it is still impressive to see it in a high-riding model that still packs an internal combustion engine. That’s how fast the XM super crossover should be, according to previous rumors.

In all likelihood, BMW will pull the cover off the XM in the coming months. We wouldn’t be surprised if they debut it part of their M Division’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and considering that it will be a standalone model, it makes sense to do so. The first units should roll off the assembly line in December, and by the time it starts arriving in showrooms, it might be accompanied by a starting price of over $150,000, before destination, handling, dealer fees, and options obviously. Still, don’t forget to take the alleged MSRP with the proverbial pinch of salt, as nothing is official about it yet.