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BMW Engineer Takes the V8-Powered BMW XM on a Family Trip, Gives Us a Better Look Inside

BMW’s XM has been introduced as a concept not a long time ago. Now it nears production and sightings are becoming increasingly more common. The carmaker’s high-performance division said this is going to be the most powerful “BMW M car ever to go into series production.” Is this going to be the Bavarian answer for the Porsche Cayenne GT, Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBX, and Bentley Bentayga? It might just be. Here’s what you should know about it.
BMW XM 13 photos
Photo: silent on Reddit
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There’s not much that has been confirmed about the upcoming BMW XM, but we know a couple of things that might be of help. But first, let’s look at what this engineer and his family have been spied doing with the SUV. Since this looks like it was a family trip, we must remember these drivers are qualified to test out the cars and are prepared beforehand to react in case something goes wrong. They’re not just messing around.

A camouflaged BMW with California license plates and “Hybrid Test Vehicle” inscriptions has been spotted just off Mulholland Highway, near Malibu. A curious person snapped a couple of photos and decided to share them with the world on the popular forum platform Reddit. They show the BMW XM looking ready to be launched, an event which is scheduled to happen sooner than some might expect.

The SUV looks like it would fit very well in North America, and it might actually look better than the concept. The shapes aren’t that well hidden by the camouflage, so differences are a bit easier to spot. But let's wait for the covers to come off first.

For example, there’s a good angle that shows the trunk opening and it appears BMW gave up on the split tailgate design for this model. That may be because the car uses a plug-in hybrid setup. The battery is stored in the trunk, and, for a vehicle of this size, it should be bigger than that of 17.1-kWh currently found in the X5 xDrive45e. We already know the X5 PHEV will receive around 100 HP more when the facelift (or LCI, if you speak BMW lingo) arrives, but the “the boss” will have a six-cylinder under its hood, not a V8 like the XM.

The most recent rumors say the XM (code-named G09) will be offered solely as a 650-HP (659-PS) plug-in hybrid at first. The Black Label will come in 2023 with around 740 HP (751 PS). Currently, the M5 CS is BMW’s most powerful production car – it puts out 627 HP (635 PS).

“Electrification underpins an extraordinary driving experience which allows the driver to both glide along in near silence and enjoy the time-honored pleasure of high performance, M style,” says BMW M.

The photos also show a nice-looking, sophisticated interior with blue leather like the one that already debuted on the all-electric iX, the well-known M steering wheel, iDrive 8, enough legroom in the back, and possibly 23-inch wheels. The SUV also appears to be finished in an elegant blue color, which most likely is Marina Bay Blue Metallic.

The front looks like it drew inspiration from the all-new X7, but the grille is matching the one recently spied on the 2024 BMW M5. There are also new vertically stacked exhaust pipes which will probably be standard.

BMW has an engineering and emission test center in Oxnard. Given its advantageous positioning, this city has often been used by the automaker as a point of origin from where vehicles go on various routes for their final testing phases. Similarly, the Death Valley being close is also a plus for hot weather checks.

All in all, this will be BMW M’s first standalone vehicle since the famous M1 saw the production line. It’s not what purists expected, but the company is keeping up with customers’ preferences. It will be revealed soon enough. Don’t forget to tell us what you think about it!
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About the author: Florin Amariei
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Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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