Interesting paint options shown off for new BMW XM; model brings plug-in hybrid power to the top of the M range

BMW has shown off a number of exciting paint finishes for its latest range-topping hybrid SUV, the BMW XM. The firm has said that the painting process at its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina now has more flexibility, allowing for a number of BMW Individual paint finishes to be added to the XM options list.

The new finishes include Urban Green, Petrol Mica metallic, Anglesey Green metallic and Sepia metallic (pictured above). BMW says that the new colours “emphasise the design language for the exterior of the BMW XM”; each of the new paint finishes is applied in a separate, hands-on manufacturing process and so should carry a price premium as a result.

Exact pricing and regional availability for the new finishes is yet to be announced. The special pain finishes will be available to order on the BMW XM from April 2023. The BMW XM is available to order now, with prices starting at £144,980.

BMW XM: the details

The BMW XM is a high-performance SUV that stands as BMW M’s first bespoke model since the BMW M1 of 1978. The XM – billed by BMW as a sports activity vehicle (SAV) – is intended to take on some of the world’s most powerful large SUVs, including the Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBX 707 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid.

The XM is the first BMW M model to use a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Its 489hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 is bolstered by a ‘permanently excited’ 197hp electric motor incorporated into the eight-speed automatic transmission; the same basic setup is also used in BMW’s latest endurance racing cars. Total output is a staggering 653hp, enough for a 4.3-second 0-62mph sprint, or 0-124mph in 14.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph but can be increased to 168mph as part of the optional M Driver’s Package.

While plug-in power can be used entirely to boost performance, the car’s 25.7kWh battery can provide up to 55 miles of all-electric power. Top speed in EV mode is 87mph, while a 100% top-up takes four-and-a-quarter hours via a 7.4kW AC charger. BMW claims a combined fuel economy figure of up to 188.3mpg on the WLTP cycle, with emissions of 33 to 36g/km of CO2.

The XM is over five metres long and is wider than any other BMW at a shade over two metres; BMW suggests that the car’s ‘unusually wide tracks’ contribute to ‘unshakable roadholding’, but we’ll have to wait to test the car for ourselves to confirm this.

It’s certainly an imposing machine, and deliberately so. The car is a celebration of BMW M’s 50th anniversary but also a direct shot at the likes of the Lamborghini Urus, combining imposing SUV styling with small retro nods. BMW says the three diagonal light strips at the rear reference the M logo and the rear-end of the BMW M1, for example. The XM’s interior design seems more conservative by contrast but is crammed with high-end materials and features, including a luxurious rear-seat setup that BMW calls the M Lounge.

The BMW XM is the M division’s flagship and so is packed with its latest and greatest performance-enhancing technologies. The all-new drivetrain – dubbed M HYBRID – is chief among these, joined by a new eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox, plus fifth-generation eDrive technology for energy management purposes. BMW’s high-performance M xDrive four-wheel drive system allows for power to be split between all four wheels, while the M Sport rear differential adds fully variable distribution of torque between the left and right rear wheels. Those wheels measure in at 21in as standard, with 22in and 23in options available.

The XM uses 48V active roll stabilisation, along with BMW’s Active Roll Comfort system which supresses rolling movements caused by road bumps affecting one side of the car.  M Servotronic active, variable-ratio steering features too, with speed-sensitive assistance and a choice of sporty or comfort-focused modes. Integral Active Steering – BMW’s rear-wheel steering system – reduces the XM’s turning circle in tight spots, or increases stability at higher speeds.

BMW has also announced that the XM is set to be joined by the XM Label Red in autumn 2023 – a higher-output version of the car that’s set to become the brand’s most powerful road car with no less than 748hp on tap.