The new 2024 XM will be BMW’s most powerful M car. However, the ‘unapologetic’ new hybrid SUV will cost a controversial $159,995.
The long-anticipated flagship BMW SUV is ready to hit the roads, and it brings a long list of superlatives with it. It is the priciest, heaviest, and most powerful SUV the German automaker has ever made. Being the first pure ‘M’ model since the legendry M1, the 2023 BMW XM is also the most powerful M car ever made.
Sounds like a barely street-legal beast, but gearheads will be disappointed by the next pair of superlatives on the list (anecdotal, but with reasons). The hybrid SUV is also the most over-complicated and over-priced BMW ever made. It doesn’t offer enough $159,995 starting price
The 2023 BMW XM Is Slower Than The X5M
From a car dubbed ‘the most powerful BMW SUV’, you will be forgiven for expecting unholy power, speed, and 0 to 60 mph times. But alas, the base BMW XM model produces a feeble 644 horses. That is below what anyone expects out of the V8 engine alone, mind the hybrid powertrain, but there’s a catch. The lion’s share of performance belongs to the Label Red edition. To compare the XM’s performance with its cousins, we’ll roll out the numbers for its more powerful iteration.
The new Label Red model churns out a system output of 738 hp, which exceeds the standard BMW XM revealed since December 2022 by 95 hp. The max torque is capped at 737 lb-ft, which is a 147 lb-ft increase from the base model. The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system transfers the power to the road, which gives the monstrously heavy machine incredible traction. The raw specs place it at the top of the food chain, but trouble arises when you convert them into speed and acceleration.
The new SUV’s flaw buyers can’t overlook is how it fails to beat its own predecessor on a track. The Label Red scores a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.7 seconds. This is a fraction of a second faster than the base model’s 4.1 seconds, but still embarrassing compared to the older X5M. Arriving a couple of years before the XM, the BMW X5M Competition does the deed in just 3.5 seconds, which nullifies the XM’s purpose as the ‘most powerful BMW SUV’.
The electrification of the Label Red edition remains similar to the base model, fitting the same 29.5-kWh battery (19.2-kWh usable) underfloor. The battery provides the same 30-mile range and the same all-electric top speed of 87 miles per hour.
The 2023 BMW XM Is The Heaviest BMW Ever Made
The German marque’s new power-hungry SUV dream debuted crossing the 6,000-pound mark. The colossal XM weighs a total of 6,062 lbs, making it the heaviest BMW car ever made. However, BMW didn’t toss their buyers under the bus: the SUV will have a 50/50 weight distribution.
The battery takes credit for a small part of the hybrid’s mass, but the body deserves most of the blame. The BMW XM measures approximately 201 inches long, 79 inches wide, and 69 inches tall on a 122-inch wheelbase.
The XM Interior Is Comfortable But Could Be Better
If you’re wondering where most of the $159,995 you paid went, a safe assumption will be the interior. The XM is a five-door vehicle with seating for five. The front of the car will feel familiar to those who have recently driven a BMW, as it has the same steering wheel with M1 and M2 shortcut settings for driving modes. And to make shifting easier, the BMW added paddle shifters.
There’s a twin-screen dashboard that combines a large driver information display with a 14.9-inch touchscreen. However, BMW frustratingly locked the heater controls into the touchscreen. The technology is mostly carryover material, with the same screens, gear lever, and mode buttons. There is a new steeply inclined leather dashboard, an illuminated headliner, and high-quality metal inlaid into the doors.
The XM comes with an M Lounge, a feature that extends the leather on the outer seats to the door panels to create a comfortable and luxurious atmosphere. The leather surfaces are heated, providing extra comfort for passengers. Despite sharing the same wheelbase as the full-size X7, the XM is only available with two rows of seats, which offers plenty of legroom in the back for up to three passengers due to its wide body.
The XM’s boot offers 527 liters of storage, which is expandable to a massive 1,820 liters when you fold the rear seats. Unfortunately, there is no underfloor stowage, which means that the charging cable – which comes with every XM in a tailored bag resembling Gucci – takes up valuable cargo space.
BMW fails to satisfy customers with its new SUV’s ride quality. The BMW XM is better put together than the X5M, but still rattles and crashes over bumps. With every setting in Sports Plus mode, the weak suspensions cause the XM to bounce back and forth when shifting.
The 2023 BMW XM Is Ridiculously Overpriced
The BMW XM will set you back close to $160,000. That’s the most expensive BMW SUV starting price. If you find that ridiculous, we’ve got news for you: the Label Red where most of the performance lies will cost $186,000 when production starts in August. It’s a shame that a car with such road presence and performance, most may happily look the other way after seeing how much it costs.
