Technology : The disguised successor

The extensive camouflage foils cannot hide the fact that the giant from Garching has it red behind the ears. Well over five meters long, weighing more than 2.5 tons and in the later top version around 750 hp, it should be the direct competitor of Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBX 707 or the Bentley Bentayga Speed. With around 650 hp, the basic version is anything but one. The drive package basically comes from the new BMW X7 / 7 Series. The almost 500 hp and double-charged 4.4-liter V8 engine of the S68 design is supported by an electric motor, which is hidden between the engine and the eight-speed automatic transmission in the transmission tunnel and offers powerful thrust. There is still a bit of a problem with the fine-tuning of the V8 combustion engine and around 150 kW electric motor, but the BMW developers still have almost a year to fine-tune, because the XM will not be on the market until spring 2023. Just like the new BMW 7 Series, it is hardly a vehicle for the European market, but is intended to appeal to customers in the USA, the Emirates and probably also China with its lavish performance and bold exterior design – at prices over 150,000 euros.

Just as the exterior is still hidden under black and white camouflage films, the interior is also covered. Soft leather everywhere, lounging corners in the rear and in the production version probably also sporty extras such as carbon and color elements should make the new top model from BMW desirable for everyone for whom a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, an Audi RS Q8 or the Mercedes AMG GLE 63s is simply too boring is. The appearance is correspondingly powerful, because the front appears with the powerful radiator grille and narrow LED eyes like the invincible north face of the Eiger. If this radiator gullet appears in the rearview mirror, you should quickly move to the right lane. The driving performance should be tremendous and that’s how they drive at first contact.

Particularly impressive is not only how the over 2.5 ton colossus pushes and, if desired, breaks through the 100 km/h mark for around four seconds, but also the thrust in all situations. This is ensured not only by the 650 hp of the test car, but also by an enormous torque of 800 Nm. But it’s not just the thrust that inspires, nor the top speed, which will later be either 250 or 280 km/h. It is the drivability of the colossus in the meandering curves. Somewhat surprisingly, the BMW developers have dispensed with air suspension because it cannot be tuned as sportily and delicately. There are adaptive dampers, roll stabilization and rear wheel steering, which can easily shrink the BMW XM by two classes. The feedback from the steering is excellent despite the prototype status and the chassis shows how you can play well over five meters in length and more than 2.5 tons unladen weight in the limit area.

It gets really wild in sports mode with sharpened chassis tuning, precise steering and a forward thrust that is not only a show in this league. In addition, the North Munich rumbles and sounds on its four opulent tailpipes and lets you forget for a few seconds that such jokers – politically ostracized by many – will soon be over when the electric models have completely taken over the regiment. Those responsible for M make no secret of the fact that the project for such a power hybrid has just come to an end. The polarizing BMW XM can not only bolt and thunder, but also whisper quiet. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid drive, the all-electric range is 80 kilometers. Not that that would calm down the eco-disciples, but at least you can quietly roll out of the settlement at six in the morning. You can already attract enough attention with the optics.