Not all petrolheads are open to going electric. Some prefer to take baby steps and if you are one of them, the BMW XM is worthy of your consideration. It is an M car and a hybrid, with performance to boot making it a good start. But if you are down for a more extravagant ride that is kind of exclusive and packs more power, then you want to hold out for the 2024 BMW XM Label Red.
Billed as the flagship version of its first-ever high-performance car with an electrified drive system, the BMW XM Label Red marries the M HYBRID system with extra power and bespoke design accents that showcase its performance attributes and it is sure to turn heads.
The V8 combustion engine and an electric motor integrated into the 8-speed M Steptronic transmission produced a combined 550 kW/748 HP and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque. And if anyone’s counting that is a good 70 kW/95 horses and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) more power and torque than the regular XM.
In case anyone’s curious, the V8 motor’s peak power output is 430 kW/585 hp, while the electric motor produces up to 145 kW/197 hp). That’s right. Even the electric motor has more power than most ICE-powered rides. The power is put to good use by the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
All told the new BMW XM Label Red is capable of rocketing from naught to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.8 seconds, and has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
The electric drive is paired with a battery pack with 25.7 kWh of usable energy that offers an electric range of 72-83 km (47-52 miles) in the WLTP cycle. The battery can be quickly topped, requiring just 4.25 hours to take it from 0-100 with AC charging.
Other highlights include a rear-biased setup that enhances the agility, an electronically controlled differential lock in the rear axle, adaptive M suspension Professional, Integral Active Steering, an M Sport braking system (6-piston, fixed caliper brakes front; single-piston, floating caliper rear), active roll stabilization, and sports car cockpit with M multifunction seats, BMW Curved Display, M Lounge in the rear and more.
There is also a limited-edition variant of the BMW XM Label Red with just 500 examples worldwide. This particular example will rock a Toronto Red metallic for the BMW M kidney grille surround and rear diffuser insert, and a BMW Individual Frozen Carbon Black Metallic paint job.
The 2024 BMW XM Red Label can be ordered from dealers starting April 28, 2023, and it has an MSRP of US$185,000. That’s a 25K premium over the standard version.
All images courtesy of BMW.
