The BMW XM was by no means meant to be a background participant. When BMW M determined to construct its first standalone mannequin because the M1, the concept was to plant a flag in one of the worthwhile corners of the business: high-performance, high-price SUVs. BMW had been watching this house for years because the Lamborghini Urus exploded in recognition, the Vary Rover Sport SV discovered its groove, and Porsche realized that the Cayenne Turbo GT was principally a license to print cash. From the surface, an ultra-M SUV appeared like an apparent transfer.
BMW didn’t rush the XM. Throughout a latest go to to Designworks in California, it grew to become clear the undertaking had been brewing for a very long time. It was meant to be an announcement automobile, one thing that pushed BMW M into a brand new class. However even with that preparation, the XM by no means took off the way in which BMW hoped.
A Good Begin in Gross sales
It wasn’t a disastrous launch. When it hit the market on the finish of Q1 2023, the early numbers have been respectable. BMW delivered 762 models in Q2, which isn’t dangerous for a six-figure experiment. Q1 2024 even confirmed some progress, up 32.3 % year-over-year to 541 models, helped alongside by the mannequin lastly arriving within the U.S. late within the prior quarter. For a minute, the story appeared prefer it was headed in the precise route.
Then the slide started. Q2 2024 introduced a drop of 29.5 %. Q3 fell one other 30.7 %. And most just lately, Q2 2025 noticed XM gross sales sink 23.8 % to only 409 models. In the meantime, the remainder of the phase stored climbing. Lamborghini sells each Urus they’ll construct. In actual fact, the model mentioned they’re offered out till 2026. The Vary Rover Sport SV stays one among Land Rover’s most in-demand merchandise. So why didn’t the XM join?
A Controversial Design
Design performed an enormous function. The XM didn’t wrestle as a result of it was daring; it struggled as a result of the general form by no means fairly settled into one thing cohesive. The entrance finish grabbed the early headlines, however the actual sticking level for patrons was the rear. From some angles it appeared muscular, from others it appeared inflated and awkwardly tapered. On this worth vary, proportions matter greater than something. Folks will purchase wild designs, however they should be visually resolved. The XM all the time felt like a automobile with some good concepts that by no means absolutely aligned.
The inside confronted a distinct difficulty. It wasn’t dangerous — not even shut — however it didn’t really feel particular sufficient for what the XM was presupposed to be. An excessive amount of of the cabin appeared acquainted from the X5 and X6. Sure, the supplies have been higher and the “M Lounge” lighting was fascinating, however it didn’t ship the sense of event that patrons count on once they’re spending this type of cash. Stroll right into a Vary Rover SV or a Urus Performante and you realize instantly that you just’re in one thing distinctive. The XM didn’t make that very same first impression.
It Wants An Air Suspension. Pronto
Experience consolation didn’t assist both. BMW M went with metal springs as a result of they needed the XM to behave like an M automobile. Philosophically, that is sensible. Virtually, it didn’t. A six-thousand-pound SUV on metal suspension goes to really feel agency, and in day-to-day driving the XM might be noticeably stiff. Patrons on this phase need one thing that may deal with corners but in addition float over damaged pavement. Air suspension exists for a cause. Selecting to not use it made the XM really feel out of step with what clients count on from a luxurious SUV.
A Heavy Beast
After which there’s the burden. At 6,061 pounds, the XM carried extra mass than even BMW’s engineers may absolutely disguise. The plug-in hybrid system added advantages on paper — torque, effectivity, a brief electrical vary — however it additionally made the SUV really feel heavy. The perfect rivals on this house, particularly the Urus and Cayenne Turbo GT, succeed as a result of they really feel alive and keen regardless of their dimension. The XM might be quick, however it by no means managed to really feel mild.
All of this paints a reasonably clear image: the XM didn’t wrestle as a result of the idea was flawed. The concept of a BMW M flagship SUV nonetheless is sensible. The market is there. The urge for food is there. The cash is unquestionably there. The XM stumbled as a result of a number of key selections didn’t land with the individuals BMW wanted to impress.
So ought to BMW strive once more?
There’s a powerful argument for sure, however provided that the subsequent try begins with a clear sheet. A successor wants a extra cohesive design that leans into the readability and sharpness of BMW’s Neue Klasse route. It wants an inside that feels genuinely separate from the remainder of the lineup — not a nicer X5 M, however one thing that sits on the very prime of the model in supplies, format, and ambiance. And it completely wants a distinct mechanical setup.
A lighter, mild-hybrid S68 V8 would remedy many of the XM’s dynamic issues. Ditching the complete PHEV system would instantly take away at the very least a thousand kilos. Doing so would give the next-generation mannequin the response and character anticipated on this phase. The entire prime performers depend on combustion energy to offer emotional engagement. BMW doesn’t must chase them, however it does must match the immediacy and really feel if it desires to compete critically.
There’s additionally one thing to study from the Urus. Not the styling, not the noise, however the perspective. The Urus feels assured, keen, and unashamedly extroverted. Patrons reply to that. The XM, for all its ambition, by no means radiated that very same vitality. A successor has to.
Will BMW Construct an XM Successor?
The XM’s story is sophisticated as a result of it was each daring and uneven. BMW swung for the fences, and whereas the consequence wasn’t a house run, it wasn’t a complete miss both. It was a automobile that confirmed the place BMW needed to go however didn’t fairly stick the touchdown. The excellent news is that the underlying thought stays sound. The SUV that the XM tried to be continues to be a sound product for BMW M to construct. And with the precise corrections — higher proportions, a extra distinct inside, a lighter drivetrain, and a experience that doesn’t punish house owners on imperfect roads — an XM successor might be precisely the halo mannequin the model initially envisioned.
The query now could be easy: does BMW need to take one other shot? In the event that they do, there’s no cause the second try can’t be the one which lastly hits the mark.
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