More than four decades earlier, BMW introduced its first M-branded model - the legendary M1…
This mid-engine car is perhaps the only supercar ever created by the Bavarian brand, which was a commercial failure, but still laid the foundation for the M family of reinforced BMW models. The German manufacturer has now introduced its second standalone M model: the Concept XM. And while the M1 was a mid-engine car, the Concept XM is a bulky hybrid crossover, offering supercar performance, in a conveniently packaged SUV edition.
Starting with the design, the Concept XM is a bold and audacious interpretation of the current BMW design language. Still, if you take a closer look, you’ll find a number of design details inspired by the BMW M1 Supercar. The overall design is dominated by sharp lines and corners, giving the Concept XM a very aggressive look. The most prominent element of the car's front end is definitely the massive grille illuminated by LEDs, while the thin LED DRLs occupy the traditional position of the headlights, with the real headlights hidden behind the aero-elements above the front grille.
The roof has been given a unique shape that integrates beautifully with the rear window, reminding us of the elongated face of the famous Hello Kitty cat. Still, the windshield design is inspired by M1, which is also shown with two BMW logos. The BMW Concept XM got a bit of a weird profile, which somewhat reminds us of a Lamborghini LM001 SUV.
The passenger cabin of the BMW Concept XM achieves a delicate balance of sporty and luxurious style. The driver-focused layout of the front of the cab is a modern interpretation of the one we saw in the BMW M1. The massive rounded display with the latest version of iDrive 8 finds its place right in front of the driver, while the entire cabin is accented with vintage brown leather with copper and carbon accents. Another exciting detail inside the cabin is the headliner, which is decorated with a three-dimensional prism structure, which is fully illuminated.
The Concept XM is powered by a hybrid powertrain, making it the first M model to be electrified. The hybrid with V8 engine can produce 750 horsepower and 1000 Nm of torque, which makes it the most powerful Beemer so far. BMW says the Concept XM can theoretically cover 50 kilometres with its battery power, while engine specifications and performance figures have yet to be officially revealed. Although this sporty hybrid crossover is currently in the concept phase, the production version is expected to see the light of day next year.
