First, the bad news: BMW’s iconic kidney grille is bound to get even bigger, to the dismay of purists and the amusement of everyone else. The German carmaker probably couldn’t care less if its models begin to resemble roadgoing versions of King Kong, but in any case, it will probably come as a surprise to no one.
A pair of bigger kidney grilles could headline the most powerful production BMW yet
he bit of good news is that the next iteration of the grille will be bolted on to the company’s most powerful production model to date. This is the Concept XM, BMW’s first standalone vehicle in the M series since the M1 mid-engined sports car in the late 70s. The vehicle made its debut at the Art Basel Miami Beach 2021 show, giving a glimpse of the shape of things to come for BMW’s upcoming luxury models.
There’s already a series-production XM SUV model planned to roll out of BMW’s Spartanburg, U.S. facilities by the end of 2022. As if the Concept XM’s exterior wasn’t already contentious enough, the mainstream version will retain over 90 percent of the design.
“The BMW Concept XM represents a complete re-imagining of the high-performance vehicle segment,” said BMW M GmbH CEO Franciscus van Meel. “It underlines the ability of BMW M GmbH to break with established conventions and push boundaries in order to offer fans of the brand the ultimate driving experience.”
While the vehicle is meant to embody luxury, it's design might not be to everyone's tastes
BMW describes the Concept XM’s aesthetics as bold, which certainly hits the mark. The SUV is marked with angular lines all throughout, with jagged edges on the fascia, profile, and rear end. LED headlamps have been separated into two distinct modules, with the daytime running lights integrated into the upper unit.
The elongated kidney grille takes on an almost polygon-like quality, now resembling a chestplate with visible corners around the outline as the shape tapers outward. Contour lighting highlights the grille’s silhouette, with the XM emblem floating against a backdrop of M-style double bars. The fascia rests below a sculptured clamshell hood, which features horizontal air vents that echo the embedded LEDs at the top of the windshield.
Substantial body cladding accompanies the squared-off fenders housing 23-inch light-alloy wheels. One of the most radical aesthetic elements can be found at the back, with super-slim wraparound rear LED strips that are hidden in plain sight when not engaged. Hexagonal twin-tailpipe exhausts are embedded in the rear bumper with a vertical orientation.
BMW's Curved Display runs on the latest version of iDrive
The exterior’s angular lines are also translated into the lounge-like interior clad in leather, accompanied by copper and carbon fiber trim. A diamond motif is evident on the seat headrests and pile carpeting, with the headliner sporting a three-dimensional prism structure. Ambient lighting comes in blue, violet, and red, the three BMW M colors.
Running on the latest generation of iDrive, BMW’s Curved Display dominates the dashboard, integrating the fully digital instrument panel and the large touchscreen head unit. The version used is specific to the M series, showing the different driving modes.
The Concept XM is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain
The Concept XM comes exclusively with a plug-in hybrid propulsion system, mating a 4.4-liter twin-turbo gasoline V8 with an electric motor for a combined output of 750 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque. Using battery power exclusively gives the XM Concept a range of up to 48 kilometers.
No pricing has been disclosed for BMW’s jagged crossover, but it is widely expected to be in the same $200,000 (Php 10 million) range as the Lamborghini Urus, which is one of its intended targets.
We have a nose for sniffing out upcoming automotive releases at Philkotse.com.