EXTRAVAGANT STATEMENT.

The vehicle concept underpinning the BMW XM brings presence, exclusivity and performance together in an unconventional form without parallel. The exterior dimensions of the BMW XM underscore its impressive visual impact. The car’s body extends 5,110 millimetres in length, and its wheelbase measures 3,105 millimetres. At 2,005 millimetres, the BMW XM is wider than any other model in BMW’s model range, and it stands 1,755 millimetres tall. The unusually wide tracks (1,726 millimetres at the front axle and 1,690 millimetres at the rear) feed into the unshakable roadholding and dynamic cornering potency of this high-performance vehicle.

The progressive front-end design developed exclusively for the top-end members of BMW’s model line-up has been given a bespoke reworking for the BMW XM, bringing its supreme presence and remarkable performance equally to the fore. Smooth surfaces and sharp edges bring clarity and confidence to the front end. Alongside the fresh interpretation of the twin headlights and BMW M kidney grille, the large air intakes are also a defining feature of the front end. The sensor and camera systems required for the driver assistance tech are integrated discreetly into the front apron.

“We want the exterior to turn heads. The stage presence of the XM is like that of live artists: They perform and ultimately ensure that everybody gets carried along. The vehicle is like a high-performance installation”, says Domagoj Dukec, Head of BMW Design.

The BMW XM is equipped as standard with Adaptive LED Headlights, whose light functions are split into two separate areas. The daytime driving lights, side lights and turn indicators are integrated into the ultra-slim, crisply contoured upper elements. Each consisting of two LED units, these light sources appear to shine straight out of the lens covers. The low-beam and high-beam headlights are positioned in the lower, darkened area of the headlight units deeply embedded in the front apron. These light sources only become visible when switched on during journeys in the hours of darkness.

Catching the eye between the headlights in the centre of the front end is the BMW M kidney grille. The two elements of the grille stand out clearly from the surrounding surfaces. Extending within them are the horizontal grille bars that have become a hallmark feature of the high-performance sports cars from BMW M GmbH, while the double surrounds of the kidneys emphasise their octagonal contours particularly vividly. The outer border of each kidney is gold in colour, while the inner surround provides contour lighting in the form of a sharply drawn – and, for the first time, unbroken – light ring. The light array formed by the upper headlight units and the kidney grille’s contour lighting gives the BMW XM an unmistakable and boldly confident night design.

The surface design of the powerfully sculpted bonnet also picks up on the contours of the high-rising BMW M kidney grille. Out of this emerges sharply cut flanks, a pair of power domes and a central indent, at the front of which is the BMW logo. In customary M fashion, airflow is channelled precisely as needed to cool the drive system, transmission and brakes. Meanwhile, air curtains located at the outer edges of the front apron steer the air not required for cooling purposes carefully around the wheels to optimise the BMW XM’s aerodynamic properties.

The long bonnet and dynamically stretched passenger cell of the BMW XM form a distinctive two-box design. The heavily raked windscreen and long roofline – which swoops down smoothly as it approaches the rear of the car – clearly emphasise the coupé-like character of the silhouette. Its sporting aura is further accentuated by a side window graphic that tapers markedly towards the rear and the powerful D-pillars. The window graphic is bordered by a gold-coloured accent band. This innovative design feature with historical references brings a boldly distinctive flourish to the sides of the car. 

The expansive surfaces of the XM’s flanks are given structure by a number of short character lines. These are boldly presented at their starting points, but quickly fade, imbuing the surface design with additional visual modernity and agility. Borders painted in Black high-gloss along the lower edges of the body and around the wheel arches underscore the considerable ground clearance offered by the BMW XM and its rugged charisma. The M exterior mirrors have a highly distinctive design with aerodynamically optimised contouring. The mirror caps and bases are painted in Black.

Another nod to the BMW M1 can be found at the rear of the second model developed exclusively by BMW M GmbH. There is a notable indent at the rear of the BMW XM’s roof and BMW logos have been engraved into the rear window below the right- and left-hand cant rails. A special laser engraving technique ensures the logos stand out with rich contrast against the dark glass surface. Their arrangement recalls the pair of BMW roundels positioned at the rear end of the legendary mid-engined sports car.

“The heritage elements show the strong connection to our history, but we’ve interpreted everything anew”, says Domagoj Dukec, Head of BMW Design. “There’s the black band on the BMW M1, which splits the vehicle graphically. We’ve used it too, but in a very different way, combined with the window graphics and the front lights. Or the tail pipes, of course in quadruple form. But not round. The double logos from the back of the M1 are lasered onto the rear window of the BMW XM. So we’ve used quotes, but employed them very differently. They’re hints, but not retro, no copies.”

The diffuser elements integrated into the lower section of the rear apron are painted in Black high-gloss and framed by gold-coloured surrounds. The black model badge on the tailgate also has the gold-coloured contouring used as an identifying feature elsewhere on the BMW XM. A pair of tailpipes from the both double-sided and dual-branch exhaust system protrude from either side of the diffuser. This familiar design cue of M models has been reimagined for the BMW XM, with the hexagonal tailpipe trims stacked vertically for the first time. Model-specific air-directing elements in the underbody provide additional cooling for the exhaust system, enabling an optimal operating temperature at all times – even when the engine is working under high loads for sustained periods.