The BMW XM is going to be the heaviest car in brand history and, according to BMW, it will likely stay that way for a very long time, as the Bavarians try to make EVs lighter in future. However, it’s still a bit odd to know that the first-ever purely-M car is also the heaviest, chonkiest car it’s ever made. In some new spy photos, you can get an idea of exactly how big the new BMW XM is, while testing at the Nürburgring. (We don’t own the spy photos but you can see them here)
It still baffles me that the BMW XM is a car the M Division is actually making. I always go back to an old Motor Trend article, in which a journalist asked a BMW M engineer why there was never an E31-generation M8 (back in the day) and the answer was simple: weight. The original 8 Series was too heavy for BMW M, at just over 4,000 lbs. And yet, the M Division is making a nearly three-ton plug-in hybrid SUV. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
At least it will pack enough punch to make it fast. The XM’s new “S68” 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, when combined with its electric motor, will make upwards of 750 horsepower. So while it will be the heaviest BMW in history, it will also be the most powerful BMW in history.
In these new photos from the Nürburgring, the BMW XM looks surprisingly capable, remaining flatter than you might expect through corners. However, it still looks massive and won’t exactly be the car you want on track. It’s unusual to see a car from BMW’s “Motorsport” division that will be far more comfortable on the road than on track. Even BMW M’s heaviest cars, such as the M5 and M8, are really good on track. Hopefully the XM will be too but it certainly doesn’t look great.
[Source: Motor1]
