The Washington Inquirer EditorBMW estimates the United States will represent the XM’s largest market with 26% of all sales, followed by China with 23% and the Middle East with 8%. However, the plug-in hybrid SUV is also being launched in Europe for those who want something more special than the X5 M or X6 M and don’t need the third row of the X7 M60i.
The bespoke M model has officially arrived in France where BMW is charging €178,000 for its large high-performance SUV. To celebrate the model’s local launch, a photo shoot was organized in Saint-Tropez with a high-end version painted in Carbon Black Metallic and riding on 22-inch wheels with a two-tone look. It does away with most gold accents we’re used to seeing on the XM and replaces them with a glossy black exterior trim.
The interior is unlike any other BMW on sale today in the sense it has Vintage Coffee leather on the upper surfaces, combined with the familiar Silverstone Merino leather. The somewhat unusual combination is particularly striking on the Alcantara-wrapped headliner with its geometric layout incorporating prism-like structures. It’s lit by 100 LEDs mounted on the sides, described as a photo mount border that changes its color depending on various factors.
Another feature exclusive to the XM is the so-called M Lounge. It refers to the back seat with a material design that extends into the door trim panels to provide a cozy atmosphere. There’s ample legroom for passengers sitting in the back considering the wheelbase matches that of the X7 even though there’s no third row.
BMW is planning both cheaper and more expensive versions of the XM slated to come out later this year. In some markets, primarily in Europe, a six-cylinder 50e is planned. At the other end of the lineup, a Label Red with the electrified V8 dialed to nearly 750 hp will become the company’s most powerful road-legal production car ever. It’ll cost a pretty penny as the limited-run special edition will go for at least $186,000 in the United States.
